Income Tax Department Awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration for ‘Easy Tax Compliance Through Quality Service’
The Income Tax Department has been awarded the ‘Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration’ for ‘Easy Tax Compliance through Quality Service’. The award was presented at a function at Vigyan Bhawan here today by the Prime Minister on Civil Services Day.
The award has been conferred to the Income Tax Department for setting-up and for successful implementation of end to end solution of core services. These include integrated e-governance initiatives viz. Tax Information Network (TIN), e-filing portal, Centralized Processing Cell (CPC-TDS) for processing of TDS statements, Centralized Processing Centre (CPC) for processing of Income Tax Returns and the Refund Banker. The solution architecture and the reconciliation processes are one of the best in the world.
The projects have been conceptualized based on principles of USAGE – Uniform interpretation of tax laws, Simplification of forms, Easy Accessibility of services, Good tax governance and Empowerment of taxpayer with information. More USAGE prompts more Voluntary Compliance.
Presently, over 4.5 crore taxpayers and 15 Lac deductors are using various e-enabled online taxpayer friendly end to end services viz. e-payment of taxes, e-filing of tax returns and TDS statements, tax credit statements in Form 26AS, digital TDS certificates in Form 16/16A and issuance of refunds.
In the financial year 2014-15, more than 94% of the tax returns have been filed on-line, while more than 80% of the direct tax revenue is being received online. Besides, about 99% of the TDS statements are being filed electronically. While the TDS statements are processed within a week, the tax returns are being processed within an average period of 30 days. A large number of tax refunds are being directly credited to the bank accounts of the taxpayers.
The award is a recognition of the sustained efforts of officers of the Income Tax Department. Four e-service projects of the Department have already been conferred National e-governance awards in past.
The ‘Prime Minister Award for excellence in public administration’ and the four National e-governance awards to the Income Tax Department demonstrate the commitment of the Department towards achieving ‘Minimum Government and Maximum Governance’ in tax administration and to move towards a non-adversarial and tax-payer friendly regime.
I do not understand what for this award has been granted.
Only harassed assessees know and understand that this award has been granted to them for its sheer incompetence. Petitions u/s 154, Appeal effects, legal heir issues for petty refunds of few thousands,refunds generating from such orders-if passed- remain undespatched not only months even years after year.
Strictures passed by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court and subsequent instructions issued by the CBDT have fallen on deaf ears and failed miserably because who is going to ask for the report card as to the status of complaints and their end and final disposal.
Response of the deptt is miserable.
Thanks,
Mahendra
Thank you, Mr.Ragu
Press Release
Subject: Prime Minister’s award for excellence in Public Administration to
the Income Tax Department.
Really we are very happy to hear this, but whether it has been given to the department for solving the CPC problems? For issuing he unnecessary notices and demands in spite of the credits in 26AS? For not giving refund in time? For not responding to the Legal Hire registrations? May be these things will not count for the excellence awards.For not honoring the CBDT circulars by CPC and not following the Hon’Delhi High courts order in case of refunds? God only knows the criteria for the award, or the only the PM or FM knows it.
Agree with Rugram.
Only corruption free department deserves such award.
While we appreciate the work done in respect of computerization of various activities of the Department, are assesses satisfied about the response of the Department on complaints of non-receipt of tax refund in time? There are also many cases of corruption in the Department. If you visit an I-T Office, you wont find the staff reporting in time to answer your queries or even to accept manually filed returns.
These are some of the things that happen at the micro level which need to be attended to urgently, if the Department really were to deserve the award!
The article states: “A large number of tax refunds are being directly credited to the bank accounts of the taxpayers.” Very clever! No figures are provided, whilst the figures of inputs (such as electronically filed tax returns, online tax payments and TDS returns), which are fed in the system by people other than the I-T Dept., have been given.
It would be interesting to know what the views of assesses would be, if at all they are asked to comment on selection of I-T Dept. for this award.