The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and all field offices will be observing and celebrating the 159th Income Tax Day i.e. Aaykar Diwas on 24th July, 2019. It was on 24th July, 1860 that Income Tax was introduced for the first time in India by Sir James Wilson to compensate for the losses incurred by the British regime during the first war of independence against British Rule. This is why 24th July is observed as the Income Tax Day.

The week preceding the Aaykar Diwas 2019 has been marked by various activities undertaken by the regional offices of the department across the country. Several field offices undertook a grievance redressal week/fortnight to help redress pending grievances of the tax payers. Some field stations also made free legal aid available to tax payers in conjunction with the local Tax Bar Association. Digital kiosk having interactive and informative digital display was also set up in certain stations to improve tax payer services. Several field stations are also holding functions felicitating super senior tax payers for their contribution to nation building, while also recognizing the hard work put in by the officers and officials of the department in various designated areas of work. The department will also launch a   “Kardaata e-Sahyog Abhiyaan” which will endeavour to assist and support taxpayers  and other stakeholders in enabling them to e-file their returns and discharge other tax related obligations.

Several outreach programmes were organized to promote payment of taxes as a value norm and for sensitizing potential tax payers that payment of taxes was an ethical duty of all citizens. This included visits of tax officials to educational institutions, public interaction with members of Bar and Chartered Accountant Associations and other stake holders. Several field stations have held competitions for school children including Essay competition, Debates, Quiz, Slogan & Story writing competition on the theme of payment of taxes and its importance in nation building. Some offices also held street plays/ nukkadnataks to promote awareness of taxes, while several others organized Walkathon/ Taxathon for a cause i.e. a Walk for Taxes.

Realizing their social responsibilities, Tax officers and officials have participated in blood donation camps and undertaken visits to hospitals. They have conducted Swachhta drives in their offices as also public spaces and carried out plantation drives, both independently and in association with the forest department at several places, including planting of about one lakh seed pods on barren lands. In some areas, initiative of rain water harvesting was also taken by the department. Several others have adopted Lake/Village/School for cleanliness/plantation drive.

While field offices will organize functions at local levels to celebrate Aaykar Diwas 2019, the main function at the national level will be held at New Delhi on 24th July, 2019 and will be presided over by the Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman. Sh. Anurag Singh Thakur, Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs will be the guest of honour. The event will include release of departmental publications, e-journal, publicity kit for outreach programmes among other things.

Taxpayer assistance programme expands outreach to promote e filing, grievance redressal and civic tax compliance nationwide. Field offices observed Aaykar Diwas with grievance redressal drives, free legal aid, digital kiosks, recognition of senior taxpayers and staff, and launched a Kardaata e Sahyog Abhiyaan to assist taxpayers with e filing and compliance.