Paying income tax on time is one of the most important things a person has to keep in mind annually. We have often seen income tax officials intimidating taxpayers. In this context, the Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Mr Ravi Agrawal stated that income tax officials should adopt a more guidance approach when dealing with taxpayers, rather than resorting to intimidation.
He emphasised that officials should make efforts to advise people more responsibly while keeping the much-needed transparency. He said, “On the occasion of the 164th anniversary of the income tax system in India, tax officials should adopt a lighter approach.”
The CBDT Chairman recently spoke about this in an online video session titled ‘The Chairan Speaks’ with income tax officials from around the country on the occasion of Income Tax Day which was commemorated on July 24. He mentioned that there has been a massive transformation in the income tax system with the adoption of technology, expansion in the numbers of taxpayers and a shift from being primarily an enforcement and adversarial department to largely a service-oriented department that aids tax compliance through non-intrusive tax administration.
Agrawal further noted that revenue under the direct tax category is increasing every year, with around 650 million PAN and more than 85 million ITRs filed during the financial year 2023-24.
“Our role as part of the tax administration is critical. It is incumbent on us to service the citizens as well as business with professionalism as we embark on our journey to fulfil the honourable Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 and with the beginning of Amrit Kal, I would like to take this opportunity to present an approach that is to be adopted by all the officials irrespective of rank in the department,” he said.
The Financial Year (FY) 2023-24 has witnessed a significant increase in Direct Tax collections, with provisional figures indicating a net collection of Rs 19.58 lakh crore.
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