Pune : Income Tax department to collect Rs 75,000 crores in 2019-20

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Sumit Singh

Pune, July 24, 2019 : Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (IT) of Pune region Anuradha Bhatia on Wednesday said that the IT department of Pune region has set target to collect Rs 75000 crore direct taxes in financial year 2019-20. During the previous year (2018-19), the department had collected Rs 57,500 crore taxes.

She was speaking on the occasion of 159th Income Tax Day ( Aaykar Diwas) at Nehru Memorial Hall in Camp. Director General of Income Tax (Investigation) MK Dubay, Surgeon Dr Jayshree Todkar, Dr Pramod Tripathi and Life Coach Narendra Goidani were also present on the occasion.

Bhatia added, “The numbers of taxpayers increased from 31 lakhs in 2014-15 to 76 lakhs in 2018-19. In the current financial year, the number of taxpayers in Pune region to cross one crore. We have conducted 80 outreach programs till now. Also there are 23 Aykar Seva Kendra functional in Pune to help people file income tax returns and other tax related work.”

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and all field offices will be observing and celebrating the 159th Income Tax Day i.e. AaykarDiwas on 24th July, 2019. It was on 24th July, 1860 that Income Tax was introduced for the first time in India by Sir James Wilson to compensate for the losses incurred by the British regime during the first war of independence against British Rule. This is why 24th July is observed as the Income Tax Day.

The week preceding the Aaykar Diwas 2019 has been marked by various activities undertaken by the regional offices of the department across the country. Several field offices undertook a grievance redressal week/fortnight to help redress pending grievances of the tax payers. Some field stations also made free legal aid available to tax payers in conjunction with the local Tax Bar Association. Digital kiosk having interactive and informative digital display was also set up in certain stations to improve tax payer services. Several field stations are also holding functions felicitating super senior tax payers for their contribution to nation building, while also recognizing the hard work put in by the officers and officials of the department in various designated areas of work. The department will also launch a   “Kardaata e-SahyogAbhiyaan” which will endeavour to assist and support taxpayers  and other stakeholders in enabling them to e-file their returns and discharge other tax related obligations.

Several outreach programmes were organized to promote payment of taxes as a value norm and for sensitizing potential tax payers that payment of taxes was an ethical duty of all citizens. This included visits of tax officials to educational institutions, public interaction with members of Bar and Chartered Accountant Associations and other stake holders. Several field stations have held competitions for school children including Essay competition, Debates, Quiz, Slogan & Story writing competition on the theme of payment of taxes and its importance in nation building. Some offices also held street plays/ nukkadnataks to promote awareness of taxes, while several others organized Walkathon/ Taxathon for a cause i.e. a Walk for Taxes.

Realizing their social responsibilities, Tax officers and officials have participated in blood donation camps and undertaken visits to hospitals. They have conducted Swachhta drives in their offices as also public spaces and carried out plantation drives, both independently and in association with the forest department at several places, including planting of about one lakh seed pods on barren lands. In some areas, initiative of rain water harvesting was also taken by the department. Several others have adopted Lake/Village/School for cleanliness/plantation drive.