IT collection target achieved in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, Feb 21 (UNI) Gujarat has achieved its Income Tax collection target in the current financial year, according to Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Raj Kishore.

The Chief Commissioner, while addressing an ''Open House on Income Tax'' organised by the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today, said, ''We have even achieved the revised target.'' He cautioned the public to ensure that their returns are filed correctly since the department had more information regarding the receipts and expenditure accounts of the individuals in the era of modern technology.

The issues of hardships in scrutiny assessments, recovery and attachment, survey, stay of demand, accountability for high pitched assessments, delay in refunds and interest on refunds, were discussed in today's open house.

Tax officials admitted that there are problems in clearing the refunds through electronic clearing systems due to software problems and all efforts have been made to sort out this problem. Regarding the scrutiny assessments, the matter will be settled with the concerned officers, Mr Kishore said, adding, ''Assessees are not our enemies and the scrutiny list is being prepared through a computer system.'' When told that often during the survey, assessees have been pressed to make disclosures, the officials admitted that there is no provision for disclosure during the course of survey.

GCCI president Pankaj R Patel, in his address, said the Chamber has organised open house to have free and frank discussions on issues of mutual interest.

He said India has come a long way from the days when the tax rate used to be exorbitantly high. However, though the rate and the slabs have come down to reasonable levels, procedural issues still confound average honest tax payer.

UNI