I-T help centre at Mysore chamber

As part of public-private partnership on tax matters, the Income Tax department is opening a help centre at the Mysore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) premises.

"An officer will function from this centre, equipped with a computer. The chamber has provided a place in its premises for the help centre to help SMEs in tax matters," MCCI secretary A S Satish told Business Standard.

The Union finance minister had announced in his last budget speech a proposal to set up such help centres, in co-operation with industry associations, professional bodies and NGOs, as a facilitation measure for small tax payers.

He had reiterated the proposal in his meeting with the chief commissioners in New Delhi on April 5.

Accordingly, the I-T department, Mysore, decided to set up the help centre, in cooperation with the MCCI. The prominent location of MCCI on the prestigious Devaraj Urs Road is expected to bring forth encouraging response from the trade and industry.

According to the proposal, the help centres are to function under the jurisdiction of each chief commissioner other than those having corprorate charge.

They should be set up in co-operation with the local trade/industry associations, chartered accountants' associations and NGOs outside the I-T office in the premises offered for the purpose voluntarily by such associations.

Secretarial help for running the help centres can be had from these organisations on a voluntary basis.

It will provide facilities for helping small taxpayers in filling up their return forms, challans, computing their income, calculating their taxes and offer tax related advice.