Tax collection should be smooth, says President Kovind

Kovind was addressing probationers of the 67th (2015) batch of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) who called on him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today.

New Delhi, September 6: President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday said tax collection should be a smooth process and there should be minimum discomfort to the tax- payer.

Citing Chanakya, Kovind said a government should collect taxes like a honeybee, which collects just the right amount of nectar from flowers so that both can survive. He said the collection of revenue is critical to the task of nation building.

Kovind was addressing probationers of the 67th (2015) batch of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) who called on him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today.

He said that in a sense the young officers would drive the Goods and Services Tax, which he termed as the biggest economic reform since Independence.

Kovind said the age of globalization and technological advance has thrown up enormous opportunities for trade and investment.

"It also, unfortunately, creates avenues for fraud and money laundering. It is their job to promote economic activity and curb fraud. Both these goals are important," a statement from the Rashtrapati Bhavan quoted the President as saying.

He told the probationers that work they do has implications for India and for India's reputation in the world - as a trusted business destination, with a fair and predictable tax regime.

PTI