CBDT asks I-T deptt to redress taxpayers grievances fast

Cracking its whip, the CBDT has asked the Income Tax department to ensure prompt action in timely redressal of taxpayers grievances which are pending for a long time.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which supervises the functioning of the I-T department, has asked all Chief Commissioners of the department to ensure that grievance applications are not keep pending for a long time.

According to official data compiled till June 23, a total of 5,283 grievances are pending in various wings of the I-T department with 1,604 such pleas pending for more than one year.

Taxpayers grievances in the I-T department vary from timely credit of refunds, problems related to filing of tax returns and similar issues.

"Pending grievances shall be reviewed and authorities concerned reminded for redressal on weekly basis and special focus shall be on grievances pending for more than one year and every effort shall be made to redress such grievances on priority basis," the CBDT wrote to the top I-T officers of various zones in the country recently.

The decision to speed up action in this regard was taken by the CBDT after a meeting of all the ministries and departments was held by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Personnel Grievances (DARPG) where the pending public pleas of the I-T department were also discussed.

The CBDT has also asked its officials that "new grievances received shall be transferred to the authorities concerned on the same day" even as the board instructed the I-T department to check the online portal of the government for public grievance redressal on a daily basis.

The DARPG has also asked all the departments, including CBDT, to send to it details of three oldest grievances.

"As per instructions of DARPG, a detailed report in respect of the three oldest grievances pending under each jurisdiction, indicating its registration number, date of registration, the reasons for delay and efforts made for their redressal shall also be submitted to the grievance cell, CBDT along with the monthly progress reports that is presently being submitted by Chief Commissioners and Directors General," the CBDT said in its instructions to field offices of the department.