IT Deptt collects highest ever Rs 1118 cr tax in J&K

Nearly 89,000 new assessees added; over 27,000 from Kashmir
Unorganized sector to remain under radar of taxmen
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 5: In a major achievement, Income Tax Department has collected highest ever Rs 1118 crore tax in Jammu and Kashmir and increased the number of assessees by nearly 89,000 during the just concluded financial year.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that during 2012-13 the Income Tax Department had collected Rs 821 crore tax from Jammu and Kashmir while as this figure increased to Rs 1063 crore during 2013-14 financial year.
During 2014-15 financial year, the figure of income tax collection declined to Rs 847 crore creating worrisome situation for the department as well as its officers posted in Jammu and Kashmir. However, during 2015-16 financial year, the department succeeded in increasing the tax collection to Rs 994 crore.
Much to the surprise of the taxmen, the figure again declined to Rs 751 crore in 2016-17 financial year as a result of which the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had to pass strict instructions to the department’s officers in Jammu and Kashmir to gear up their activities to meet the targets of gross tax collection.
Due to persistent efforts of the taxmen, the gross tax collection increased to Rs 966 crore in 2017-18 financial year. However, during 2018-19 financial year the J&K circle of the Income Tax Department has succeeded in making highest ever collection of Rs 1118 crore. “This record collection has been made at a time when there was huge shortfall in the direct tax collection in the country”, sources said.
For achieving this feat, the taxmen had to initiate some strong measures in the form of surveys, searches and raids besides holding unaccounted number of awareness programmes and interactions with different sections of the society, they further said while disclosing that stern action of the Income Tax Department against the habitual tax evaders played key role in collection of record tax.
“All these steps not only led to collection of highest ever tax but also helped in increasing the number of assessees”, they said while disclosing that during the just concluded financial year the Income Tax Department made addition of nearly 89000 new assessees.
As on April 1, 2018, there were total 361910 assessees across Jammu and Kashmir but this number has increased to 450818 as on April 1, 2019. Of nearly 89000 new assessees, over 27000 have been added from Kashmir province and remaining from Jammu province, sources further disclosed, adding notwithstanding addition of such a large number of new assessees still vast population remains non-filer of income tax returns”.
It is pertinent to mention here that for the first time large number of surveys, searches and raids were conducted in Kashmir valley against the top habitual tax evaders. Moreover, necessary action was also taken against the Kashmir separatists besides launching prosecution against a number of tax evaders.
“The unorganized sector like real estate and private healthcare institutions were completely out of focus in the past but during the just concluded financial year necessary attention was paid towards this area which also yielded positive results in the form of payment of huge tax”, sources said, adding “not only in capital cities the unorganized sector was also targeted in other districts of the State like Rajouri, Kathua, Baramulla etc”.
Stating that unorganized sector will continue to remain under the radar of the taxmen, sources said, “there are reports that majority of the people associated with this sector are still reluctant to voluntarily come forward to pay taxes as per their exact income, which otherwise is their obligation towards the nation building”.
They informed that during the new financial year the Income Tax Department will continue to pay required attention towards unorganized sector, which is growing at a rapid pace, and initiate all possible steps so as to provide necessary facilities to the honest tax payers at their door-steps.
“Series of activities have been planned to generate awareness among the people about the necessity of paying tax as per exact income and regularly filing returns even if they don’t have taxable income”, sources further informed.

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