The Union Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley said that revival of the practice of acknowledging the tax payers for paying taxes within the prescribed time and promptly filing their Income Tax Returns, will play an important role in the nation building. Besides it, Shri Jaitley said that this will also help in bringing-about the necessary change in the attitude of the people at large to pay the due taxes on time. The Finance Minister said that payment of due taxes is the duty and responsibility of everyone. He said that to pay the due taxes is an accepted practice in most part of the world. The Finance Minister Shri Jaitley was speaking while handing over Certificates of Government’s appreciation and acknowledgement of tax payers for their contribution towards nation building here today. The Finance Minister said that as the business will grow, there will also be change in the attitude with regard to payment of taxes.

The Government acknowledges the contribution of individual tax payers in paying taxes within the prescribed time and prompt filing of Income Tax Returns. The Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley today handed over certificates of appreciation issued by Central Board of Taxes (CBDT) honoring select tax payers for such contribution. While it is widely acknowledged that the Nation meets its obligations towards spending in various social sector and welfare schemes and infrastructure development out of revenues mobilized through tax payments by millions of honest tax payers, this step marks the first effort by the Government to directly communicate to the tax payer its appreciation for that contribution.

CBDT will be sending out such certificates of appreciation to individual tax payers by e-mail in various categories on the basis of the level of taxes paid by them for the current Assessment Year 2016-17 where taxes have been paid in full and tax payers have no outstanding tax liabilities and where the return is e-filed within the prescribed due date. The tax payers may display these certificates in their homes / offices.

The categories for individual taxpayers and the number of certificates being issued in the first round are:

                i.                 Platinum   :        Tax  contributed ₹ 1 Crore and above             

                ii.                Gold          :       Tax contributed ₹ 50 Lakh to ₹ 1 Crore      

                iii.               Silver         :       Tax contributed ₹ 10 Lakh to ₹ 50 Lakh    

                iv.               Bronze       :       Tax contributed ₹ 1 Lakh to ₹ 10 Lakh   

About 8.43 lakhs tax payers will be issued this Letter of Appreciation in different categories for paying the due taxes.

The CBDT urges taxpayers to e-file their returns in time and verify their return by submitting the Electronic Verification Code online or sending their ITR-V within the 120 day period so that they can be also acknowledged for their contribution.

The Department is committed to continuous improvement of taxpayer services and seeks the cooperation of all taxpayers in contributing their fair share of taxes voluntarily.

Taxpayer compliance recognition: government to email certificates to timely, fully paid and e filed return filers. Government will send e-mailed certificates of appreciation to individual taxpayers who have paid taxes in full, have no outstanding liabilities, and have e-filed and verified their Income Tax Returns within the prescribed due date; certificates will be issued by CBDT in tiered categories (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) based on the level of tax contributed and may be displayed by recipients.