Honest tax-payers will be treated with dignity and courtesy. Greater accountability and probity in actions taken by Income Tax Officers-CBDT
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of Finance/Department of Revenue
Central Board of Direct Taxes
North Block, New Delhi-110001
E-mail : chairmancbdt@nic .in
Tele: 23092648 & Telefax :23092544
SUSHIL CHANDRA
Chairman, CBDT &
Special Secretary to the Government of India
DO FTS No. 384553/ 2017 New Delhi dated 10th February, 2017
Dear Colleagues ,
It is the collective vision of the Income Tax Department to partner in the nation building process through progressive tax policy, efficient and effective administration and improved voluntary compliance. A tax payer friendly service delivery mechanism provided by a disciplined, motivated and enthused workforce is one of corner stones to achieve this vision. When seen in the back drop of the overarching agenda of “Transform, Energise and Clean India” as conveyed by the Hon. Finance Minister during his budget speech, 2017, it becomes all the more necessary to integrate our vision with the overarching vision of the Government.
I this regard, I wish to bring to your attention, Hon’ble Finance Minister’s vision for the Income Tax Department as incorporated in para 180 of his Budget Speech, 2017:
“180 In the Annual Conclave of Tax officers called ‘Rajaswa Gyan Sangam ‘ held in June 2016, the Prime Minister had expressed his desire to bring reforms in tax administration in the form of an approach of RAPID which stands for Revenue, Accountability, Probity, Information and Digitisation. This approach precisely reflects the strategy of Tax Department which is now formulated. While revenue considerations always remain the focus of Revenue Department, we are trying to bring in maximum use of Information Technology to remove human contact with assesses as well as to plug tax avoidance. We will try to maximise our efforts for e-assessment in the coming year. We are also using a lot of data mining capabiltty, both in–house and outsourced. We plan to enforce greater accountability of officers of Tax Department for specific act of commission and omission. I would like to assure everyone that honest, tax-compliant person would be treated with dignity and courtesy. “
I would like all the Officers and Officials of the Department to pursue the path of RAPID as desired by the Hon. Prime Minister and reiterated by the Hon’ble Finance Minister. While pursuing the path of revenue mobilisation, which is an integral part of our core work, we must always keep in our view , the assurance given by Hon’ble Finance Minister that all honest, tax compliant persons will be treated with dignity and courtesy. All the Principal Chief Commissioners, Chief Commissioners and Principal Commissioners must also ensure greater accountability and probity in all actions taken by the Officers and Officials of the Department and aberrations are to be treated with prompt administrative response.
I am sure this path will definitely go a long way in enhancing the image of the Income Tax Department in the eyes of public in general and taxpayers in particular.
I wish you all success in this endeavour.
(Sushil Chandra)
All Officers & Officials of Income Tax Department
