Looking to make the direct taxation system more transparent and seamless, PM Narendra Modi today launched a platform called ‘Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest’. The platform has been created by Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to fulfil the mission of honouring the honest tax payers. The platform will enable faceless assessments, faceless appeal, and taxpayer charter. While the faceless appeal option will be applicable from September 25, the faceless assessment and taxpayer charter will come into effect from today.
Faceless assessment aims at ensuring that the taxpayer is dealt with in a fair, courteous, and rational manner. “The income tax department now has to take care of the taxpayer's dignity sensitively. Now you have to trust the taxpayer; the department cannot doubt anyone without any basis,” said PM during the launch. The platform entails Document Identification Number DIN) which is expected to bring more transparency in official communication between the tax payer and the tax department.
Mentioning a figure related to the extent to which scrutiny used to be done and how it has reduced, PM added, “Of all the tax returns filed in 2012-13, scrutiny of 0.94 percent cases was done. In the year 2018-19, this figure came down to 0.26 percent. That is, the scrutiny of the case has reduced by almost four times. This proves how extensive the change is. In the last six years, India has seen a new model of governance developing in tax administration.”
