State Times News
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Income Tax (IT) Department has collected Rs 184.07 crore alone from the Kashmir Valley in 2016-17 Financial Year (FY) during Kashmir unrest triggered due to elimination of Hizbul Mujaheedin terrorist Burhan Wani last year on July 8.
“During the FY 2016-17, Kashmir Valley witnessed the spate of unabated violence for five months immediately after the elimination of the poster boy of militancy in Kashmir, Burhan Wani which severely hindered the functioning of the Srinagar Range of the Income Tax Department,” official said sources here on Wednesday.
They said that irrespective of the hostile atmosphere, all offices of Srinagar Range remained opened on all the working days which is an achievement in itself considering the fact that other departments of the State and Central Governments mostly remained closed.
They said that despite all odds last year, the Income Tax Department, J&K Circle has remained successful in gross collection to the tune of Rs 184.07 crore in the Kashmir Valley.
Sources further said that the Range head also ensured that all stations functioned smoothly despite lot of constraints including shortage of officers and staff, hostile weather and social conditions, heaviest snow fall and total breakdown of the communication system for a period of almost two months.
“AST System also remained non functional for a period of more than one month but under such situations, adequate security was provided to the staff to achieve the action plan targets as the officers and staff posted in Kashmir Region were scared due to law and order situation prevalent there,” they asserted.
Sources further said that with regard to recovery of taxes, total cash collection has been to the tune of Rs 35.06 crore and arrear demand has been recovered to the extent of Rs 28.2 crore against allotted target of Rs 19.40 crore.
“This was possible only with the highest degree of commitment and efforts shown by attaching accounts under Section 226 (3) of the IT Act, 1961 in 75 cases for the first time in the history of the Range,” said official sources.
They also lauded Additional Commissioner IT S K Sharma and the then Principal Commissioner IT, J&K Circle, Sangeeta Gupta, presently Chief Commissioner IT New Delhi for initiating idea of tax collection from the Kashmir Valley despite unrest.
Bashir Ahmad Bhat, ACIT Srinagar has been honoured with Gold Medal by Finance Minister on the Income Tax Day for excellent performance in J&K inspite of hostile condition in the Valley throughout the fiscal year 2016-17.
It was due to Sangeeta Gupta’s able guidance and continuous support that the said offices at Srinagar remained open throughout the turmoil period and could provide all the services to the public during this period, official sources said.
Sources further said that 1500 arrear entries have been reduced by bunching the entries, adding, “3000 assessees have been added by doing awareness programmes on TV and Radio and requesting the Income Tax Bar and Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries to assist us in widening the Tax Base apart from issuing NMS”.
“Srinagar Range has also contributed in IDS-1. In 16 cases, an amount of Rs 17.43 crore has been disclosed while two cases have opted for IDS-2 and an amount of Rs 41 lakh has been disclosed,” they said, adding over 70 bank accounts were also seized.
