Focus on non-filers and stop-filers to enhance tax base – CBDT Chairman

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A WORD FROM CHAIRPERSON, CBDT

My Dear Members of the Aayakar Family,
On my elevation as Chairperson of CBDT, I take the first opportunity to greet you all and thank you for your good wishes I received during these days. I feel greatly humbled by the confidence reposed in me for leading this great Service.
I am conscious of the fact that standards of performance set by my predecessor have, indeed, been high and would warrant a whole- hearted and concerted effort to match them.
As you all know, our Hon’ble Finance Minister, immediately after his taking over the charge in August, 2012, gave us the guiding principles of non-intrusive and non-adversarial tax administration, to be followed in the day-to-day working and to create environment for voluntary compliance. I am also conscious of the fact that the Hon’ble Finance Minister has empowered us with adequate infrastructure, technological enablement, compatible legislation and requisite manpower. The latest restructuring of manpower thereby approving creation of 1349 posts in IRS Cadre and 19402 posts in non IRS Cadres, totaling 20751 additional posts in the department, is the epitome of support which he has accorded us. The onus is on us now, to come up to the expectations put on us by him and people of this country.

As tax collectors of the country, we have a pivotal role to play in national growth. The huge target of budget collection, for the year 2013-14, may not be an easy task but we should consider that the base of only about 3.5 crore assesses, a mere 2.9% of national population, wherein only 42,800 show annual income over Rs. One Crore, is too small for a country like ours. For sure, potential for tax collection is much higher than what we achieve at present.

While our endeavour would be to promote voluntary compliance and provide a hassle-free service to the honest tax payers, we would also need to focus on non-filers and stop-filers in order in order to enhance the tax base and augment tax collection. We aim at achieving a tax regulation regimen in India which can match the best in the world. I have, thus, a legacy to uphold and develop it further so that the coming batches of officers and staff feel proud of holding a position in this department.

I am fully aware that this department is full of talented, hard-working and dedicated officers and members of staff and that is my biggest strength. Believe me, I believe you and your potential and hope that each one of you will rise to the occasion and prove yourself to be an effective instrument in improving our working, in bringing about transparency and in making objective, fair and quick decisions with ethical base and humane touch. I want all of you to be ‘thinking’ persons, with ingenuity to think ways and means for the development of the Department and the well-being of the nation. Together, we can not only chart the course set for us, we can also take strides in a direction whereby every Indian should feel proud of our services.