SHILLONG, June 8 – Among the north-eastern States, Assam is the highest contributor of income-tax. Out of a total of Rs 590 crore revenue collected from income-tax in the entire North East in the 2002-03 financial year, Assam alone accounted for a whopping Rs 509 crore, Commissioner of Income-Tax, Guwahati, TM Das informed. In the current financial year there was a substantial increase in revenue collection which stood at 12,000 crore from the region, in which Assam’s contribution is again expected to be substantial, Das said, addressing a press conference at the Shillong Press Club on Monday.
Das attributed the jump to myriad factors like industrial growth and awareness relating to tax payment. Considering the complexity of the Income-Tax Act, the department has of late been making conscious efforts to have direct interface and to interact with the taxpayers, he said, adding, in the north-eastern region, such interfaces have been organised at Dimapur, Itanagar, Bongaigaon and Jorhat.
Meanwhile, the north-eastern region (NER) registered a 30 per cent rise in income-tax contribution during the financial year 2003-04. The Income-Tax department was able to generate Rs 1228 crore from the region representing a quantum leap of approximately 30 per cent over that of the previous financial year, Commissioner of Income Tax, Shillong Region, L Nampui said at the press briefing.
The department achieved a collection target of approximately Rs 76.14 crore during the financial year 2003-04. During 2002-03, the Shillong Range alone contributed Rs 25.50 crore, he further informed. Eighty per cent of I-T revenue comes back to the States, Nampui said, adding, the revenue generated helps the State through grants and aids sanctioned for developmental works.
The department would organise awareness campaigns in other parts of the region for the benefit of the taxpayers, he said while pointing out the fact that several sections in the North East are exempted from I-T as per provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
During the financial year 2003-04 the collection of income-tax throughout the country had been to the tune of Rs 1,05,000 crore approximately. In the north-eastern region, the Income-Tax department has 22 offices spread over the seven sister States and has been collecting taxes despite many constraints of communication because of the geographical spread and the hilly terrains in the region.