The Income-tax Department in India has achieved a new record with a significant surge in the filing of Income-tax Returns (ITRs) for the Assessment Year 2023-2024. As of December 31, 2023, a total of 8.18 crore ITRs were filed, marking a 9% increase compared to the same period in the previous year when 7.51 crore ITRs were filed for A.Y. 2022-2023.
The increase in ITR filings is a positive sign of taxpayers’ compliance and engagement with the income tax system. The department noted that taxpayers showed due diligence by comparing data of their financial transactions using tools like the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS). The prefilled data in ITRs, including details related to salary, interest, dividends, and tax payments, contributed to smoother and faster filing of returns.
In addition to the record ITR filings, the department also recorded a total of 1.60 crore audit reports and other forms submitted during the same period, compared to 1.43 crore filed in the corresponding period of the previous year.
To encourage early filing, the Income-tax Department conducted over 103.5 crore outreaches through targeted emails, SMS, and creative campaigns. The department’s e-filing Helpdesk team handled approximately 27.37 lakh queries from taxpayers, providing proactive support during peak filing periods. The efforts were complemented by the implementation of a user-friendly e-pay tax payment platform, TIN 2.0, which replaced the OLTAS payment system.
The department also urged taxpayers to verify their unverified ITRs within 30 days of filing to avoid any consequences. The proactive approach and technological enhancements have contributed to the success in achieving a record surge in ITR filings for the current assessment year.
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