AGARTALA, Sep 16 (TIWN): Union Finance Ministry driven Tax collections and subsequent North Eastern Tax authorities focusing on Tripura to collect hundreds of crores unpaid taxes during CPI-M’s 23 yrs rule. After inaugurating newly constructed Income Tax Office building at Agartala, L C Joshi Ranee, Principal Commissioner of income tax, Shillong told media that paying income tax is must as the Agartala income tax office to remain open till 30 mid-night, so that any person who has failed to disclose properties via online due to poor internet connection, they can come down to office and submit the hardcopy of their returns. Interacting with the media persons, L C Joshi Ranee said, “Already via media we propagated a lot about Income Tax rules. Today, we are again requesting the public to disclose the property ‘if’ anything is yet hidden”. “Lets not harass anybody, we are thinking about a huge number of businessmen, Govt officials whose records are with us for their vague tax returns, Govt of India has given so much of time to re-consider separate filing . But Sep 30 will be the last date”, IT Principal Commissioner quipped..

However, Shyamal Dutta, Joint Commissioner of Tripura for Income Tax  said, “Tripura’s response is very good as many lawyers are coming in our office where they without writing the person’s name, showing the format to us asking whether it’s correct or not”.

Again same Syamal Dutta said that in Tripura, the approximate number of tax payers is 43,000, whereas the actual number is around one lakh.

Asking about the number of submitters, Dutta said, “the online record is directly going to the Central Govt, but the hardcopy report is very supportive from Tripura”. In 2015-16 FY the Revenue income from Tripura was Rs. 104 crores”.

After the press meet L C Joshi Ranee sat for a personal interview with TIWN correspondent, where he mentioned how revenue generates income & how it develops the society. He also mentioned presently in India big Cities’ Taxes are using to upgrade states like Tripura & other NE states.

“After getting the revenue Govt. prepares for the next budget & that’s how it’s work”, he told TIWN.

Asking him about whether multiple accounts in multiple banks are illegal, he said, “Ofcourse not, but you just have to clarify your selling, buying of property & which are yet not recorded”.

TIWN also asked him, whether Income Tax Dept. has any connection with Tripura Govt. he said, “When you are working in a state, it obviously makes a connection, but we are independent organization working under Central Finance Dept”.

However, the Income-Tax has been controversial in state Tripura, as allegation frequently raised against Tripura’s many big shots including Ministers, Police Head, many IAS-IPS officers.

In  his last visit during Press meet at Hotel Rajdhani, Northeastern Principal Commissioner L C Joshi Ranee, said, “There are only 43,000 tax payers amongst 37 lakh people of Tripura”.  “In 2012-13 FY Tripura’s income tax was 100 crores, in 2013-14  FY it was only 65 crores and in 2015-16 it was only 104 crores, which is not at all satisfactory”, he added.

However, in the inauguration programme held on Friday, P  K Debbarma NE IT Chief Commissioner (Retr),    MLA Gopal Roy,    L C Joshi Ranee Principal Commissioner Shillong, Shyamal Dutta, Joint Commissioner of Tripura were present. A plantation  programme was also held at newly inaugurated Income Tax office building.

 The IT building at Netaji Chowmuhani is now with 4 floors. It now has a conference hall & many other rooms to be inaugurated for various sections, under Tax Dept. The total cost of the project was Rs. 11 crores & the work completed in 3 years. The new branch of IT at Udaipur to ease the way for the people.