Be proud to be a taxpayer: Tamilisai

CHENNAI: Be proud to be a taxpayer, said Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Telangana Governor and Lt Governor of Puducherry here on Sunday.

In her address during the Income Tax Day celebrations here, she said the intention of the Income Tax Department is the welfare of the nation and not to burden the taxpayers.

“People should understand it and enjoy paying tax. The tax we pay is for the development of the nation and we all should work together to make our Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of making India a five trillion dollar economy by 2025.

With the guidance of Modi, the IT department had taken several innovative measures to develop a close link with the public. The result of this is evident from the increased number of taxpayers and many people are coming forward to pay tax voluntarily, Tamilisai said.

She urged the department to make the IT procedures more simple and create awareness about the digital process among the public especially in the rural areas.

In his address, Madras High Court Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari said simplifying the laws is the need of the hour. He said that if the laws are made simple which a common man can understand with ease, then the role of the court will be minimised.

While appreciating the various social responsibility measures taken by the IT department, he urged the department to take welfare measures to the children under the age of 18, in the observation home due to the various crimes under the Juvenile Justice Act.

Principal Chief Commissioner of IT Department, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Ravichandran highlighted the various achievements and innovative measures of the department.

He said Tamil Nadu is the 4th largest contributor to the country’s direct tax revenues.

The IT department felicitated some of the prompt taxpayers and the income tax officials during the occasion.

Among those felicitated were Tamil film actor Rajinikanth, whose daughter Soundarya received the award on his behalf.

Hailing the actor, Tamilisai said Rajinikanth was not only a Superstar but a Super Taxpayer.