I-T assessees apprised of ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme benefits

Chandigarh, November 5

Dr Simmi Gupta, Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh, along with Rajinder Kaur, Additional Commissioner of Income Tax (CIT), Chandigarh, and Shiv Swaroop, Additional CIT, Shimla, held an interactive sessions through webinars with various professionals, organisations and assessees to apprise them of the benefits of the ‘Vivad Se Vishwas’ scheme.

Dr Simmi said: “We need to advance the scheme with greater persuasion and perseverance and must reach out to the taxpayers to facilitate all necessary handholding.”

During the sessions, the stakeholders sought various clarifications and also brought out issues being faced by them at the time of filing declaration under the scheme. Their queries were redressed and a mechanism was worked out through which they can readily reach the department on a real-time basis.

The scheme provides for resolution of disputes wherein an appellant would be required to pay only the amount of the disputed taxes and will get complete waiver of interest and penalty and immunity from proceedings for prosecution for an offence.

“With this scheme, on one hand, a taxpayer will be benefitted with stress-free time to put her/his efforts for more meaningful daily life/routine or expanding business activities while on the other, the government will get its long-pending dues and also save cost on resources that these disputes consume,” she said.

In order to provide further relief to the taxpayers desirous of settling disputes under the scheme, the government has extended the date for making payment without additional amount from December 31, 2020 to March 31, 2021. The last date for making declaration under the scheme has also been notified as December 31. — TNS