Income tax collection from Gujarat surged by over 17% last year

Gandhinagar, July 24: The Income Tax department (IT Department) in Gujarat recorded a hike of 17.3% in tax collection with the total amount of Rs 46, 800 crore in the fiscal year 2017-18. However, the Income Tax department has set a target to collect revenue with 18.75% higher than in the previous year.

 

Asha Agarwal, the principal chief commissioner of Income Tax of Gujarat, in a press conference on Monday said that Gujarat saw a surge of 17.3% in tax collection with the total amount of Rs 46, 800 crore in the fiscal year 2017-18 as compared to Rs 39,901 crore in the fiscal year 2016-17.

She said, “The number of income tax filers in the state went up by 10.03 lakh to touch 57.16 lakh in 2017-18.” The principal chief commissioner further asserted that the demonetization and implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) led sharp increase in the number of taxpayers. “As a part of drive to widen the tax base, the Income Tax department has been given a target to add 9.88 lakh new tax filers in Gujarat in the current year,” the principal chief commissioner added.

Asha Agarwal also noted that the IT department has been given the target to collect revenue of Rs 55,571 crore from Gujarat in the current financial year, which is 18.75% higher than in the previous year. She also stated that as a part of the drive to widen the tax base, the IT department has been given a target to add 9.88 lakh new tax filers in Gujarat in the current year.

Importantly, the IT department is today celebrating the 158th Income Tax Day. Income tax was first levied as a duty on July 24, 1860. Officials said that various events such as sapling plantation, blood donation camps, awareness programmes, painting, drawing and essay writing competitions on the importance of environment and cleanliness, felicitation of meritorious officers/staff, among others, were held across the country.