Doctors, professionals in sharp focus for I-T 'surveys'

The Income-Tax (I-T) department has stepped up its surveys on prominent doctors in the city in a renewed drive to shore up revenue collections.

At least five prominent doctors have been targetted by the department till now.

The department's interest in doctors is natural because of their high net worth and credit worthiness. The department suspects huge under-declaration by doctors as compared to their thriving practice and earnings.

Sources said that the department is not targetting doctors alone, but is inclined on more surveys on professionals. Surveys on business houses are being conducted almost daily. The surveys are being conducted all over Vidarbha.

It may be recalled that chief commissioner of Income Tax Vijayalaxmi Sharma had held a meeting with industrialists, traders and professionals one and a half month back where she had asked them to co-operate in the department's collection drive.

The stiff collection target fixed by the department this year may necessitate increased number of surveys, she said.

Market sources said that there is a widespread feeling that surveys for the purpose of meeting collection target is not proper because it may not yield sufficient undisclosed income. On the other hand, surveys cause a lot of inconvenience to businesses, it is felt.