Mangaloreans are known for evading income tax – IT Chief Commissioner Dilip Kumar

Mangaloreans are known for evading income tax – IT Chief Commissioner Dilip Kumar

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, March 27, 2012: The people of Mangalore, although many of them are entrepreneurs and bankers, have shown reluctance to pay their income tax. The rate of growth of income tax payment in Mangalore is a negative of -10 percent for 2011 – 12, a fact that is giving cause for concern.

 

 

Speaking about the issue, Panaji Dilip Kumar, the chief commissioner of income tax, said that Mangalore is lagging behind more in the collection of personal income tax than corporae tax. While Rs. 300 crore in personal income tax was collected this year, the IT department had to refund Rs. 400 crore, which has led to deficit tax collection and negative growth. Mr. Kumar was addressing the gathering at the inauguration ceremony of the Aayakar Seva Kendra in the Mangalore branch of the IT department Monday.

In order to counter this trend, the department will take measures to identify all those who are evading income tax, he said, adding that these measures will be in the form of surveys and searches. He warned that the department intends to crack down on tax evaders and will especially not spare the big tax evaders. He said that the IT department would not run under a loss if people paid their taxes promptly.

Regarding the shortage of employees in the Mangalore branch of the IT department, he said that he knows about this problem and that he will make the required arrangements to move extra workers at the Bangalore branch to the Mangalore branch.

Ganesh Y., the president of the Udupi chapter of the ICAI, suggested the establishment of a Seva Kendra in Udupi too. In response, the commissioner said that this can be done if income tax collection increases in Udupi.

K. Sathyanarayana, the chief commissioner of the Bangalore branch of the IT department, inaugurated the Aayakar Seva Kendra and urged the people of Mangalore to pay their income tax amounts within the next four days before the current fiscal year closes. He also said that the Seva Kendra has been set up for the benefit of tax payers and informed that the finance ministry has approved the setting up of 3 Seva Kendras in Karnataka and 1 in Goa during this fiscal year. Since Seva Kendras have already been established in Goa and Bangalore, another will be opened soon in Dharwad, he added.

The Seva Kendra also has an Overseas Bank ATM, which was inaugurated by M. Narendra, the MD and chairman of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB). Speaking on the occasion, he said that the IT department has approved the setting up of 75 IOB ATMs in 75 such Seva Kendras all over India so that tax payers can make advance payments easily.

About Aayakar Seva Kendra
An Aayakar Seva Kendra (ASK) is a computerized facility set up for the benefit of tax payers, enabling them to get services as early as possible. Each Kendra comprises well-trained staff members, who will help tax payers file income tax returns, ascertain their Permanent Account Number (PAN), learn their tax credit status, and so on. Besides, they will also prevent and redress grievances. The aim of the Kendra is to promote voluntary tax compliance among people by providing them better services.
 

These Kendras are set up by the IT department under the Sevottam Scheme, and so far, there are 60 such centres all over India. Moreover, the finance ministry has approved the setting up of 17 more centres this fiscal year.