SHILLONG, June 7: The Income Tax department has collected tax of approximately Rs 300 crore from the Shillong region for the last financial year.
Informing this here on Friday, Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, Shillong, Dinesh AJ Sawkmie, said that while the Shillong region includes the Jaintia and Khasi Hills, the Garo Hills region falls under the jurisdiction of the Assam Income Tax department.
Sawkmie informed that the income tax collection in Meghalaya in general and the Shillong region in particular remains low due to certain sections of the population being exempted from taxation. He also attributed the low tax collection in the state to limited industrial development.
It was also informed that the total tax collection across the entire North East region stands at around Rs 10,000 crore, which is less than two per cent of the national tax collection.
Tax Payers’ Hub
from June 10
Meanwhile, in an effort to enhance tax awareness and compliance, the IT department will hold a Tax Payers’ Hub at Shillong from June 10-12 at the Shillong Club.
This initiative, organised under the direction of the Directorate of Income Tax (Public Relations, Publication, and Publicity), Central Board of Direct Taxes, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi, aims to showcase taxpayer services and promote voluntary compliance.
Similar hubs have been held in Bhagalpur, Gorakhpur, Visakhapatnam, Jhansi and Cuttack, with an upcoming event in Ajmer. The Tax Payers’ Hub serves as an outreach programme to educate taxpayers about the Income Tax Act and address their grievances.
The event will feature information kiosks, pamphlet distribution, virtual reality games, quiz competitions, magic shows, and street plays (nukkad natak) in a bid to sensitise the tax payers.
Special brochures will also be printed to disseminate awareness and foster tax literacy among the youths of Meghalaya, including information on statutory compliance for Schedule Tribes in the North East Region to claim exemptions under section 10(26) of the Income Tax Act.
New taxpayers can also register on the department’s website at dedicated kiosks.
A dedicated kiosk will also be set up for redressal of grievances of the taxpayers.
