GUWAHATI: The Income Tax department, North East Region has for the first time launched a dedicated campaign to create public awareness regarding income tax obligations of people in the region.
In an official statement issued here on Tuesday, the department said that the general impression that all incomes of tribal persons/non-individuals such as partnerships, companies, et al are exempt was incorrect.
“Incomes of all entities other than individuals, and incomes of tribal persons outside scheduled areas, are subject to income tax. In fact, it is only the income earned in the scheduled area by such tribal persons, which is exempt. The campaign will make the people aware of such provisions,” the department clarified in the statement.
Hoardings, standees and video clips were the means resorted to by the department to create awareness during the daylong campaign on Saturday.
“Further the campaign also aimed at highlighting the various new provisions prohibiting certain types of transactions, particularly cash transactions, which attract stiff penalties. Since Northeast has low banking coverage, people may inadvertently enter into the prohibited transactions and thus become exposed to penal provisions. The campaign will help the people understand and avoid such prohibited transactions,” it said.
The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016 imposes obligations on taxpayers and others not to indulge in certain types of transactions or to report such transactions. There are serious penal and prosecution consequences for entering into such transactions.
“The campaign seeks to spread awareness about such laws and prohibitions / obligations there under,” it added.