Altaf Hamid Rao:
MIRPUR (AJK): (Parliament Times) Secretary Inland Revenue Department of Azad Govt. of the State of Jammu & Kashmir and Additional Chief Secretary (General) Farhat Ali Mir has directed his department to move for broadening tax base through improvement of tax implementation system for successful accomplishment of the assigned budgetary targets for ongoing 2020-21 fiscal year, it was officially said.
He expressed these views while chairing a high level meeting of the department during his special visit to Mirpur Offices of the Inland Revenue Department, says a press release issued by the department here on Saturday.
Addressing the meeting, attended by senior officials including the Commissioners Inland Revenue Department and other officers of the Department including Sardar Zaffar Mahmood Khan Commissioner Inland Revenue (Direct Taxes) and Ch. Asim Shoukat, Commissioner Inland Revenue (Provincial Taxes), the Secretary Inland Revenue, while deliberating upon different issues, pressed for successful achievement of assigned budgetary targets of income tax fixed at Rs.20.600 billion and that of Rs.7.900 billion of provincial taxes for the financial year 2020-21. In this regard, he directed to broaden the tax base by registering fresh and new cases with STN / NTN Roll of the Department and this objective is achievable by improving tax implementation system and by launching necessary tax reforms, so that public may abide by the tax laws in perfection and by undertaking these arrangements, they would be in better position to apprehend their tax affairs and to fulfil their tax obligations in an effective manner. The Secretary also insisted on exploring new tax avenues and to further activate the field staff for the purpose of broadening tax net of the Department and loopholes, if any, may be plugged in effectively, the PR said.
While analyzing the revenue collection of the Department for the financial year 2020-21, the Secretary Inland Revenue expressed his satisfaction over the performance of the departmental functionaries during the months of July and August, 2020. He also individually inquired from the respective Circle Incharge officers regarding their performance towards revenue collection. The Secretary Inland Revenue was briefed that field offices of Inland Revenue Department are operative throughout AJ&K with the main objective of revenue accumulation and for achieving this prime task, they are making utmost efforts round the clock. The Secretary Inland Revenue expressed his satisfaction over the performance of the Circle Officers and specifically directed them to take out of turn action for broadening tax base and to plug in the loopholes by making effective arrangements, according to the PR.
During the course of meeting, the Secretary Inland Revenue also reviewed the revenue targets of previous financial year 2019-2020. During the last financial year 2019-20, income tax target of Rs.16.500 billion was fixed against which revenue collection of Rs.17.095 billion was made, whereas on side of provincial taxes, Rs.6.000 billion were achieved against assigned target of Rs.5.750 billion. The Secretary Inland Revenue commended the efforts of the Department and congratulated both Commissioners Inland Revenue and other officers upon successful accomplishment of assigned budgetary targets. He expected that the departmental officer will continue this streak with the same zeal and diligence in future too.
The Secretary Inland Revenue expressed that despite occurrence of global pandemic of Covid-19, the Inland Revenue functionaries continued to work with consistency and made sure the successful achievement of assigned budgetary target, for which the entire Departmental team’s efforts are praise-worthy. It is worth mentioning that the administrative control of Inland Revenue Department was assigned to the Mr. Farhat Ali Mir, Additional Chief Secretary (General) in November, 2019 during last year and the credit for successful achievement rather surpassing of budgetary targets in previous year goes to the esteemed guidance and cooperation extended by the Secretary Inland Revenue towards revenue accumulation. The meeting reviewed, in length, the departmental performance regarding revenue collection.
The Secretary Inland Revenue / Additional Chief Secretary (General) commended the efforts of Sardar Zafar Mahmud Khan, Commissioner Inland Revenue (Direct Taxes) and Ch. Asim Shoukat, Commissioner Inland Revenue (Provincial Taxes) and especially gratified them on successful achievement of budgetary targets with remarkable increase for financial year 2019-2020. He expected that under the supervision of both the Commissioners Inland Revenue, the whole departmental team will continue to performs its official duties with due diligence and devotion and the Department of Inland Revenue will endure its pivotal role in strengthening State economy in future too, the press release concluded.
