CBDT Chairman Shri Nitin Gupta inaugurates CBDT’s Taxpayers’ Lounge at the 41st India International Trade Fair

Taxpayers’ Lounge to educate taxpayers about various taxpayer-facilitation initiatives undertaken by CBDT in recent times

Supporting IITF’s theme ‘Vocal for Local and Local to Global,’ Taxpayers’ Lounge to highlight tax incentives taken for Start-Ups, agriculture and allied activities, local manufacturing, and co-operatives

A Taxpayers’ Lounge has been set up by the Income Tax Department in India International Trade Fair, 2022, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, being held from 14^th to 27^th November, 2022. The Taxpayers’ Lounge aims to foster awareness about the services provided by the Income Tax Department and to showcase its various initiatives in the areas of digitalisation, transparent taxation, online grievance redressal, e-PAN, e-filing, etc. for easing compliance.

Shri Nitin Gupta, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) inaugurated the Taxpayers’ Lounge at Hall No. 5, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi in the presence of Members of the CBDT and senior officers of the Income Tax Department.

The Taxpayers’ Lounge seeks to educate taxpayers about various taxpayer-facilitation initiatives undertaken by the Department in recent times and also to create awareness among children and young adults (future taxpayers) about the importance of taxes in nation-building. With these main objectives, various activities have been organised in the Taxpayers’ Lounge such as:

1. Assistance in application for PAN/e-PAN, PAN-Aadhaar linking and PAN related queries.
2. Assistance in e-Filing and Form 26AS (tax-credit)/AIS related queries.
3. Assistance in queries on Faceless Assessment and compliance-related issues in e-Proceedings.
4. Providing Taxpayer Information Series brochures on various topics.
5. Providing Information regarding initiatives on International Taxation.
6. A Children’s Carnival corner with features like Comic Books, Board Games, Virtual Reality Games, ROBO-TAX, ‘Aaycar’ Video Game, etc. Children can also interact with the Department’s 3 copyrighted comic character mascots-‘Jaankari Babu’, ‘Tax Pari’ and ‘Taxa’.
7. Nukkad Natak, Quiz shows, Magic shows, live caricature drawing and drawing/painting competitions for children etc. on the themes of taxation and nation-building.

In line with the IITF’s theme ‘Vocal for Local and Local to Global,’ the exhibits and interactive displays of the Taxpayers’ Lounge highlight the tax incentives provided for Start-Ups, agriculture and allied activities, local manufacturing, co-operatives, etc.  The Taxpayers’ Lounge is also a medium for interacting with the taxpayers/stakeholders and for obtaining feedback about any issues being faced by them. Thus, the Taxpayers’ Lounge, is not only an outreach initiative but also a platform for exhibiting the Department’s role as a service-provider.

Taxpayer facilitation expanded through interactive Taxpayers' Lounge to promote digital compliance and taxpayer awareness. Establishment of a Taxpayers' Lounge as a taxpayer-facilitation and outreach initiative to promote digital compliance and public awareness. The Income Tax Department set up the Lounge to provide assistance with PAN/e PAN services, PAN-Aadhaar linking, e filing and Form 26AS queries, guidance on Faceless Assessment and e Proceedings compliance, and to disseminate informational materials including international taxation matters. The Lounge also includes educational features for children and young adults and highlights tax incentives for Start Ups, agriculture, local manufacturing and co operatives while serving as a stakeholder feedback channel.