E-Paper
Tax mop-up below target in FY12, staff crunch cited
The Income Tax (I-T) department has failed to achieve its revenue collection target of Rs 5.9 lakh crore for 2011-12, with the department only managing to mop up Rs 4.7 lakh crore as on March 31.
The Income Tax (I-T) department has failed to achieve its revenue collection target of Rs 5.9 lakh crore for 2011-12, with the department only managing to mop up Rs 4.7 lakh crore as on March 31.
“On March 31, the total collection was Rs 4.7 lakh crore,” an I-T source said.
Both I-T employees and the unions have blamed staff crunch for this shortfall in target.
“There is a severe manpower shortage at every level, which is affecting the department’s functioning and we’ve written to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) expecting a positive move,” said RD Menon, secretary-general, I-T Gazetted Officers’ Association.
According to staff members, the manpower shortage and poor infrastructure have been affecting routine operations such as survey, verification of returns and services to taxpayers.
While, 10,000 posts are reportedly lying as backlog vacancies, the cadre restructuring has recommended creation of 20,000 new posts. A Joint Council of Action (JAC) comprising clerical cadre and gazetted officers has submitted a charter to the CBDT.
The original target for direct taxes was R5.4 lakh crore, which was revised to Rs 5.9 lakh crore. The tax department could not even get closer to the original target on March 31.
However, the board seems to differ. “We may not achieve the revised target, but it’ll definitely cross the R5 lakh-crore mark, as some collection figures are in pipeline,” a CBDT official said.
