Here’s your chance to fight income-tax fraud

Citizens have an opportunity to fight corruption by suggesting steps to be taken by the income-tax (I-T) department. In view of the vigilance awareness week being observed from October 31 to November 5, the office of the chief commissioner of income-tax, Pune, has invited suggestions from the public about ways to curb corruption.

The office has written to a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Sajag Nagarik Manch, which in turn has appealed to the public to send in their suggestions.

The Central Vigilance Commission, the apex body for anti-corruption action in the country, has suggested that the theme for the vigilance awareness week this year be ‘participative vigilance’.

The I-T department has invited suggestions from its stakeholders, tax advocates, chartered accountants, prominent NGOs working against corruption, eminent members of civil society and also from the staff and employees of government departments.

Sajag Nagarik Manch, a city organisation working for public awareness, has appealed to the people to mail their suggestions to pranku@vsnl.com or post it to Sajag Nagarik Manch, 1200 Sadashiv Peth, Limayewadi, Pune, by November 5.

The I-T department said that participative vigilance connotes an equal role for all stakeholders in the vigilance process and in the fight against the evil of corruption. It has appealed to NGOs and organisations working against corruption to hold seminars and workshops and deliberate on the issues for improving transparency in the working of the I-T department so as to reduce public grievances.

The department has invited suggestions on simplification of rules and procedures, improvement in operation of schemes like refund banker and e-filing launched by the department, further ways and means to reduce grievances and best practices for preventing mistakes. This will help the department in policy formation for better services.