CBDT plans to tax 15% more

The Central Board of Direct Taxes' action plan for the year aims at adding 15 per cent more assessees. In addition, the government intends to increase by 50 per cent the number of assesses declaring an annual income of over Rs 10 lakh. This is according to revenue department officials.

While the latest data were not available, there were 27.05 million income tax assessees at the end of March 2004. It is estimated that there are over 80,000 income tax assesses in the over-Rs 10 lakh bracket.

In addition to widening and deepening the tax base, the board is also targeting that all high-demand appeals that have been brought forward this year and pending with commissioners of income tax (Appeals) should be disposed of by November 30, 2005. The current high-demand appeals are proposed to be disposed of within four months of their filing.

The board has also mandated that top 10 assessments (on the basis of assessed income or loss) completed in a month, should be reviewed by the commissioner of income tax by the end of the following month.

Cracking down on non-technical offences, the board wants every commissioner of income tax to build up a prosecution case and file at least one complaint in court during a financial year.

The board has also outlined a plan for computerisation that will facilitate electronic filing of returns through e-intermediaries and digital signatures. This is to be introduced in June.

An interactive facility called "sampark software" for the assessment year 2005-06 is also sought to be introduced by the end of this month.