“It is time to declare your undisclosed income.” With this slogan, the Department of Income Tax organised a walk titled, “Taxathon,” to create awareness among citizens to utilise the one-time opportunity to declare their income correctly.
Principal Commissioner of Income Tax Susie B Varghese led the walk from the IT office near B.B. Kulam here on Saturday. Madurai Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao and a number of senior officers including Commissioner of Income Tax S. Sankaralingam, Joint Commissioner S. Rengarajan, Deputy Commissioner S. Michael Jerald, staff and volunteers joined him.
Carrying billboards such as “Paying tax is a pride and responsibility,” “Pay your tax promptly and relax,” they reached Gandhi Memorial Museum after passing through IOC junction, District Courts and KK Nagar Arch in about 90 minutes.
The officials said that the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) 2016 was a one-time opportunity to all persons, who have not declared their income so far. The scheme allowed persons to convert their unaccounted income into their books after paying income tax at 45 per cent rate. The highlight of the IDS was that there would be no enquiry, no prosecution and no penalty upon disclosure. The persons shall remit the tax by November. By voluntarily admitting, it would help in nation building. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently touched upon the IDS during his “Maan-ki-bhat” as well, they added.
Despite showers, the volunteers held the placards and distributed pamphlets to public at Race Course Road where a large number of public were on a morning stroll. There are close to six lakh assesses in Madurai charge.
