Tax boss pats Kolkatans

Kolkatans are becoming good tax prayers, feels income tax department.

The chief commissioner of income tax (Kolkata), P C Sinha informed that the net tax collection from the Kolkata region in the first half of the current financial year has increased by around 95 per cent compared to the same period of 2004-05.

However, the gross collection that includes refund has decreased marginally.

He opined that the drop in gross collection could be due to the fact that the tax prayers here are now planning their tax kitty more efficiently.

Sinha was talking to reporters at an interactive session on income tax, organised by Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The income tax department has opened a help centre at the BCCI premises. The help centre at BCCI is the fourth help centre of the income tax department in Kolkata.

According to the chief commissioner, the net collection in 2004-05 was Rs 1020.47 crore in the first half of 2005-06 compared to Rs 523 crore till June 30 of financial year 2003-04. The gross tax collection was Rs 1285 crore in the first half of this fiscal compared to Rs 1350 crore in the same period of last year.

Sinha claimed that the help centres, aimed at small assesses, are doing well. "These help centres are part of public private partnership programme, opened with close co operation and assistance of trade associates for the benefit of the small tax prayers and to bring the department closer to the taxprayers," he said.

According to Sinha, West Bengal income tax department is leading the pack in opening help centres for the tax prayers. "We have 27 help centres in West Bengal compared to 100 all India," he said.