I-T officials must serve taxpayers as committed in the charter: Nirmala

NEW DELHI: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday told income-tax officials to implement taxpayers’ charter unveiled by the Prime Minister on Thursday, in letter and spirit, a finance ministry official said.

“Now we have to serve our taxpayers with much higher standards to meet the commitments given in taxpayers’ charter with the motto of ‘Transparent Taxation - Honoring the Honest’,” the official quoting Sitharaman said.

According to the charter, the income-tax department shall collect correct amount of tax, respect privacy of the taxpayer, maintain confidentiality, reduce cost of compliance and publish standard for service delivery in a periodic manner. It also expects taxpayers to honestly disclose information, respond in time, pay taxes in a timely manner and keep themselves aware of compliance obligations.

Sitharaman thanked revenue officials for their efforts in implementing the faceless assessment system to curb outreach by taxmen and urged them to work with the same zeal to accomplish the faceless appeal system, two key reforms in lines with the charter.

“The department’s responsibility has increased further with the new faceless approach to the taxation. We are setting an example for the world in use of technology in delivery of better services to our taxpayers,” the official said quoting her.

The faceless tax assessment system was proposed by the Prime Minister in 2017 and received its mention in the first budget of finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 5, 2019. The system was subsequently launched on October 7, 2019. Under the system random selection of tax cases are done through artificial Intelligence and machine learning, with a reduced discretion or no human interface from the income-tax department.

The objective of the faceless assessment is to completely eliminate physical contact between the taxpayer and the taxman.

LUCKNOW: A proposed mosque coming up on a five-acre site outside Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh is likely to be named after the village of Dhannipur where it is located, and not Babri Masjid, senior officials overseeing the construction of the complex announced on Friday.

Indo-islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF), the 15-member trust in charge of the mosque and other utilities, said the name Masjid Dhannipur was at the top of the list of proposed names. Other suggestions included Aman (Peace) Masjid and Sufi Masjid.

“We are getting suggestions regarding the name of the mosque. But, of the many, the name ‘Masjid Dhannipur’ tops our list. Most probably, the mosque would be named ‘Masjid Dhannipur’,” said Athar Hussain, spokesperson for Indo-islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF). The complex is likely to include a mosque, a hospital, a community kitchen, and an educational centre.

The Uttar Pradesh government handed the plot, 20km from Ayodhya town, to the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board (UPSCWB) earlier this month in accordance with the Supreme Court’s November 2019 verdict that cleared the way for the construction of a Ram temple at the 2.77 acre site in Ayodhya. The court ordered the government to award five acres of land at an alternative site for the construction of a mosque. But the trust, helmed by the UPSCWB, made it clear they didn’t want to associate the new mosque to the disputed 16th century structure that was demolished by a mob on December 6. 1992. “The board has maintained its stand since Day One that the mosque would not be named after Mughal emperor Babur,” said Hussain. A senior official of the trust explained that the trust wanted to steer clear of any controversy and therefore was not in favour of naming the mosque after any emperor. “In any case, it is an established tradition that mosques are often named after the locality or region,” said Hussain.

The trust has faced opposition from within the Muslim community with a section of people saying the mosque cannot be constructed on land given by the government. On Friday, the All India Muslim Women’s Personal Law Board joined the ranks of those against the construction of the mosque. Shaista Amber, AIMWPLB chief, said, “I respect the Supreme Court verdict, but I believe a place of worship should not be on disputed land or on given land.”