According high priority to digitization, FinMin lauds the rise of 18.65% in e-filing for AY 2018-19

New Delhi, June 26: Marking a 18.65 per cent of increase in the submission of e-returns for year 2018-19, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply to the lower house, lauded the spirit of the assesses to align to the digitization and technological upgradation.

 

"A total of 7.19 crore income tax returns have been processed in 2018-19 and the amount of refund released in 2018-19 is ₹1,61,457.6 crores. However the number of returns filed for AY 2017-18 were 5.47 crores", Sitharaman said while addressing the Lok Sabha.

 

“The government has initiated several measures to educate the tax payers to e-file their ITRs. Outreach measures, including training in e-filing, conducting workshops and awareness programmes, are being undertaken by the Income Tax Department”, Sitharaman said.

 

The government has accorded high priority to issue refunds for all taxpayers. Less than 0.5% of ITRs are selected for scrutiny, the majority of ITRs are processed expeditiously and refunds are issued.

 

“With greater adoption of information technology in processing of ITRs and emphasis on less intrusive verification, the time taken to process ITRs is constantly reducing. Refunds amounting to Rs. 64,700 crores have already been issued in this financial year”, the Finance Minister said.

 

The government has made it mandatory from March, 2019 to issue income-tax refunds through ECS only, therefore, expediting direct credit of refunds to bank accounts. “Further, all field authorities have been instructed to issue refunds up to ₹5,000 without any adjustment against outstanding demand, if any”, she added.