How real is the problem? Going by the outcry of various associations of CAs and others, there are many glitches in the system notified by the Income Tax. And, I strongly believe that they are not wrong. But, I also know that the revenue is capable of ironing out such flaws on priority basis. In a couple of weeks, the swelling voice of concern would subside and it would be a smooth and smiley e-filing experience, hopefully, for all!
In a normal course, the mandatory exercise of e-filing should have been planned at least six months in advance or, preferably, one year, given the poor computer literacy in this segment. A system should have been put in place by making it optional for sometime like it has been done for other types of assesses. This ‘optional’ period should have been treated as ‘incubation period’ for the software developed for the back-end support of online filing. This would have given the directorate of systems of CBDT enough clues as to what sort of e-issues might have emerged, bugging the taxpayers.
Anyway, it has been done with the presumption that unless it is made mandatory, the CBDT will not be able to do it like its various other billion-dollar projects of e-governance, festering for years in some of hidden files.
As to the prevailing glitches in e-filing returns, what needs to be done is to quickly put a strategy of holding large-scale workshops across the country. All chief commissioners of Income Tax should be directed to rally a series of ‘live demos’ on e-filing and, adequate notice should be given to all facilitators who are in touch with the field formations. Preferably, all associations should be roped in to send their representatives to attend these workshops. It would not be a bad idea to rope in a few mega corporates who could assist in organising such demos in their neighbourhoods to make their ancilliary units and other businesses aware of the procedure. In principle, mega corporates are capable of handling their own affairs and the problem is more serious for medium and small ones who are not computer savvy. Given the slew of benefits which e-filing promises and will certainly deliver in the days to come, the short-term flaws in the system are worth the pain.
What also might have influenced the North Block decision makers to hurry their decisions was the recent introduction of e-filing by Chhattisgarh. Stealing the initiative from the Centre which has already spent a whopping sum on e-governance projects, this tribal-dominated but highly progressive state has quietly introduced online return-filing for VAT, CST, Entry Tax and also e-challans. A senior functionary associated with the chief minister’s office and belonging to the Indian customs & excise service told me that the state will extend the e-challan facility to various other sectors .
In a nutshell, e-filing is the future of our country and let’s welcome it even at the cost of some inconveniences it might cause in the present on account of poor homework. But let’s also remember that there is no system of e-filing anywhere in the world which is totally hassle-free.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Shailendra Kumar
Quelle/Source: The Financial Express, 06.11.2006
