No manpower shortage for processing of tax refunds : IT dept

[suguhopes]

NEW DELHI : The Income Tax Department is completely geared up to meet
the ever swelling rush of returns and refunds as it is on its way to
recruit additional manpower for the purpose, it said on Monday.

There were certain reports about scrutiny of income tax returns and
revenue collection being delayed due to acute shortage of officers in
the I-T department and the process could take more time further.

"It is clarified that such reports are not based on proper
appreciation of full facts and are, therefore, incorrect and
misleading," it said in a statement issued here.

There is no decrease or slackness, whatsoever, in the number and the
amount of refunds issued in the last three years, which have increased
at an average annual growth rate of 16.4 per cent and 14.7 per cent,
respectively," it said.

It clarified that the manpower base of the Income Tax Department has
been substantially enhanced with the government sanctioning 7,051
additional manpower for the department in November 2006.

It informed that the Refund Banker Scheme where the refund amount is
directly transferred to the tax payers bank account, is likely to be
extended to cover more regions.

The department also plans to set up Central Processing Centres to
enable mass processing of tax returns, thus further cutting down time
taken in processing returns.

During the fiscal 2007-08, over 48.5 lakh refunds were issued
involving an amount of about Rs 41,100 crore, as against 32.5 lakh
refunds involving an amount of about Rs 28,500 crore issued three
years earlier (fiscal 2004-05), the department informed.

N.Sukumar
Research Analyst