The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley highlights the initiatives undertaken by the present NDA Government for setting-up an internationally competitive tax regime with a stable policy and a non-adversarial tax administration. The Finance Minister exhorted the officers of the Income Tax Department (ITD) to be prompt in redressing the grievances of the tax payers, expand the tax base in a non-intrusive manner even as they strive to achieve the revenue generation targets. Shri Jaitley said that taxes are the backbone of any economy.He said that gradually, the mindset of the people is changing as they want no one should be exempt from tax. He said that privacy cannot be made an excuse for non-compliance. The Finance Minister Shri Jaitley was addressing the Officers and Staff of the ITD at a function organised here at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital to mark the occasion of ‘The Aaykar Diwas – Income Tax Day Celebrations-2017’.

The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley congratulated the Officers and Staff of the ITD for working towards changing the mindset of the people and helping them become more tax compliant. He also spoke about the various steps undertaken by the present Government to widen the tax base, eliminate corruption and incentivise the honest taxpayers among others.

Earlier, the Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley released a Coffee Table Book “The Journey So Far”. The book traces the 157 year history of the ITD and its metamorphosis into a modern department which uses state of the art techniques for efficient delivery of taxpayer services while simultaneously generating a significant portion of the tax revenue of the Government of India. The Finance Minister Shri Jaitley also gave away the Finance Minister’s Awards for Excellence to 22 officers of various ranks in the ITD for their meritorious services. A film titled “In the Service of the Nation” detailing the contribution of the Department towards nation building was also launched by the Finance Minister which was also screened on the occasion.

The Aaykar Diwas – Income Tax Day was celebrated across India. The main function was held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi which was graced along with the Union Finance Minister of India, Shri Arun Jaitley, by the Minister of State for Finance (Revenue), Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Revenue Secretary, Dr Hasmukh Adhia, Chairman, CBDT Shri Sushil Chandra. Among others who attended the function included Members of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), senior officers of the Ministry of Finance and Income Tax Department (ITD.

Before that, the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Delhi, welcomed the Chief Guest, Dignitaries and the officers of Ministry of Finance and ITD to the event. While the Chairman, CBDT, Shri Sushil Chandra dwelt upon the technological changes in the ITD in the recent future which have given it an edge in tackling tax evasion, the Revenue Secretary Dr Hasmukh Adhia congratulated the Income Tax Department (ITD) for new initiatives launched to tackle black money menace including the IDS 2016 and for steps taken to augment revenue collections. The Minister of State (Revenue), Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar congratulated the Income Tax Department (ITD) for increasing its effectiveness while simultaneously ensuring that no grievances arise on the part of taxpayers in doing so.

The function ended with a vote of thanks.

Expansion of the tax base urged to be non-intrusive while ensuring prompt taxpayer grievance redressal and non-adversarial administration. The communication directs expansion of the tax base through non-intrusive means while maintaining a non-adversarial tax administration and prompt taxpayer grievance redressal, stressing that privacy cannot justify non-compliance. It also highlights institutional modernization using technological tools to detect tax evasion, initiatives to address undisclosed income and augment revenue collections, and measures to incentivise honest taxpayers and recognise departmental performance.