Filing tax returns to get easier for Agra traders

The central excise and customs department yesterday started a helpline in Agra to make it easier for businessmen to file their service tax returns.

Inaugurating the helpline, set up by the department at the Agra Iron Founders Association building, Central Excise Chief Commissioner Anil Bhatnagar said businessmen who had problems going to the excise office could come to the helpline centre and deposit their service tax.

He said the centre was manned by central excise department officials during usual office hours and would handle new registrations and solve the problems of businessmen.

On this occasion, he also announced that with this year's Budget, 15 new services had come under the service tax regime though they did not have to pay taxes till further notification.

Services like the railways, education, private catering, and management consultancy, which were enjoying exemption from the tax, will now have to pay service tax as the exemption had been withdrawn from March 1.