The Hindu : Kerala News : Taxes Department to be reformed soon

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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Kerala

Taxes Department to be reformed soon

Staff Reporter

All cases relating to tax payment to be settled within six months, says Isaac

Department needs to change with the changes in tax assessment
Facility for e-filing of tax returns through Akshaya kendras soon

KASARAGOD: The style of functioning of the Taxes Department will be changed in a year, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has said.

Speaking at a function at the Hosangadi check-post of the State Commercial Taxes Department after inaugurating the newly installed weigh bridge there on Sunday, the Minister said the government was implementing a time-bound programme with the aim of reforming the department. The Commercial Taxes Department needed to become more effective, he said.

While value-added tax (VAT) collection from the State was around Rs.6,000 crore, the total amount recovered by the Taxes Department from those who evaded taxes or failed to remit taxes properly came to only one per cent of the VAT collection. VAT gave freedom to traders to submit the details of their accounts of transactions voluntarily.

The Taxes Department needed to be more vigilant while scrutinising the accounts, he said.

The Minister said the department needed to change in tune with the changes implemented in tax assessment and collection.

Dr. Isaac said the State government would settle all pending cases on issues related to payment of taxes within six months. An intensive programme would be implemented for the purpose. It would include organising special adalats.

Facilities for e-filing of tax returns through Akshaya kendras would come into existence soon.

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