NEW DELHI: Gross tax collections this year are 38 per cent higher when compared with the previous year, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Nitin Gupta said on Friday.
Talking to ANI, Gupta said tax refunds of Rs 93,000 crore have been released this year as compared to Rs 52,000 crore last year. He said the government has taken a number of measures to make the tax system hassle-free.
“We are trying to make the ‘Faceless Scheme’ a success. We have issued Standard Operating Procedure for our officers. We are making video-conference facilities available to taxpayers. We have also formed 20 committees for the same, which will be monitored by CBDT,” Gupta said.
Raids, searches, surveys and notices conducted by Income Tax authorities are always based on credible information, said Nitin Gupta. He was appointed chairman of the CBDT, the apex body of the Income Tax Department, on June 27 this year.
“Our search or action is based on the credible information. When we get credible information that someone or any entity is evading tax, then it is our duty to take appropriate action,” Gupta told ANI in an exclusive interview.
He said he was confident enough of achieving direct tax collection target set in the Budget announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Gupta said that a target of Rs 14.20 lakh crore has been set in the Budget and the current trend of direct tax collections are very encouraging. “So far, we have got a net collection of about Rs 4.80 lakh crore. Our gross collection is 38 per cent more than last year. July 31 was the last date of Income Tax return filing. This time, we have not extended the date.”
“As of today, about six crore returns have been filed and we have issued refunds to 68 per cent more than we did last year. Our effort is to issue the refund as early as possible. So far, we have issued refund of Rs 93,000 crore against Rs 52,000 crore last year.”
He was hopeful that the direct tax collections will exceed the Budgeted target. “The September collection figure will be a good indicator of the likely full year performance,” he noted.
To a question on the income tax portal, Gupta said that the new portal is working very smoothly. He said that on July 31, 5.17 lakh returns were filed just between 5 pm and 6 pm. “This shows that our online portal was doing a good job for us. The experience of taxpayers in filing returns was very good.”
Talking about the faceless scheme, Gupta said, “We are constantly trying to make the scheme more assessee-friendly. We have taken 3-4 initiatives, issued a detailed Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) for our officers. We have given an option to the assesee for appearing through video-conference virtually. We have also formed 20 committees which will be monitored by CBDT.”
Further, reacting to the Supreme Court’s decision on Benami Act, Gupta said, “We are studying and analyzing the decision of the Supreme Court.” (ANI)