Biometric Attendance to be implemented soon

Update on 13.08.2014 : Bio-Metric Attendance Monitors installed for employees of urban ministries
To ensure punctuality at work, Bio-Metric Attendance Marker Systems have been installed for employees of the Ministries of Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation located in the Nirman Bhawan. 

JCA, West Bengal suspends agitation

As informed earlier in this blog, JCA West Bengal withdraws the ongoing agitation. As per their version, CBDT's decision to form a committee to look into the phasing out of posts from West Bengal region is a appreciable gesture and in response, they decided to "temporarily" withdraw the ongoing agitation since 4th April 2014.
It may be noted that JCA is happy enough on relook of the phasing out of posts only which is likely to be effected in future but the discrimination in cadre review (Not getting even a single ITO post) seems to be accepted by the unions !
Sincere thanks to CBDT for providing the face saving formula !
View the JCA, WB letter about withdrawal of agitation

I.T. offices to remain open in this weekend

New CBDT Chairman
Mr K.V. Chaudhary, 1978 batch IRS Officer will be the new Chairman CBDT from 1st August 2014. He will succeed Mr R.K. Tiwari who will retire on superannuation.
Work on weekend for I.T. staff
Income Tax offices will remain open on Saturday and Sunday, the 26th and 27th July to receive returns as the due date of filing of return is 31st July 2014. All field offices will accept returns during normal office hours. 
Special arrangements may also be made by way of opening additional receipt counters, wherever required, on 26th, 27th , 28th, 30th  and 31st July, 2014 to facilitate the taxpayers in filing 
their returns of income conveniently and in a timely manner.
View the order under sec 119(1) in this regard

Nearly 300 CITs going to be promoted as Pr CIT soon

It is reliably learnt that the file of IRS (IT) officers belonging to 1982-87 batch has reached to the Appointment Committee of Cabinet on July 16. DPC had taken place on April 30 this year. Meaning hereby; as many as 300 IRS (IT) officers would soon get the rank of Principal Commissioner of Income Tax.

Quarterly review meeting of JCA with CBDT on 14.07.14

West Bengal JCA likely to withdraw agitation soon. CBDT to constitute a committee to re look post distribution. Ultimately JCA, WB, is going to get the long awaited "escape route" to end the agitation ! Read details below.

The Quarterly Review Meeting with the Board took place on 14.7.2014 on the agenda items submitted by the JCA. The Meeting was chaired by Shri R.K. Tewari, Chairman, CBDT. Ms. Deepa Krishen, Member (P&V) and other officials were also present.  The delegation of ITEF consisted of Com. KP Rajagopal, SG; Com. Ashok Kanojia, Addl. Secy., Com. Raveendran B Nair, Jt. Secy.; and Com. Rupak Sarkar, Finance Secy.  Apart from the listed agenda items, the ITEF also took up the following items as issues of urgency.

1. To expedite the approval of Jurisdiction proposal submitted by various Regions.
2. Communication to CCAs the stay granted by Pr. Bench of CAT, on recovery of the alleged overpayment on fixation of pay of ITI/AO/PS.
3. Instructions to CCAs to fill up the consequential vacancies of RY 2013-14 as certain CCAs has not done the same.

Gist of the meeting is as under :

  ITO to ACIT:

The staff side requested that in the vacancy years 2013-2014 & 2014-2015 (regular as well as vacancies arising out of cadre review) may be affected immediately. The official side informed them that for proposal for promotion of ITOs to the grade of ACsIT for the vacancy year 2012-13(Review-DPC) and 2013-14(Regular-DPC) had been submitted to UPSC, who had been requested to process the proposals and intimate the convenient date(s) for holding of DPC Meetings at the earliest possible.

Promotion in the same grade pay - HRD issued O.M.

CBDT (Directorate of HRD) issued an O.M. regarding fixation benefit on promotion of Steno Grade-II to Grade I and Sr. TA  to OS. 
The O.M. conveys the approval of Dept. of Expenditure on the proposal of Dept. seeking fixation of pay under Rule 13(i) of CCS (Revised Pay) Rules 2008 in case of promotion from Steno Gr II to Steno Gr I and Sr T.A. to O.S. where both feeder and promotional cadre carries same Grade Pay.
View the O.M. dated 16.07.2013
Click here for CCS (Revised Pay) Rules 2008
( We are unable to publish a large number of comments as they consist direct personal attack to individuals and groups. It is once again requested not to make any personal comment here.)

Delhi JCA's agitation programme gets immediate attention, but WB's agitation ?

It seems the Delhi Circle JCA's agitation programme effected the Board. The CBDT in the last week has constituted a four members committee to examine the demands of Income Tax Employees regarding recruitment and promotion issue. The committee headed by Jt. Secretary(Admin), Finance Ministry, Shri S. K. Lohani will submit its reports by July 18 and on the basis of the committee’s recommendation the CBDT will take a call regarding long pending demands of the employees.

In the other hand, JCA West Bengal unit is organizing non cooperation movement including non submission of statistical reports, non participation of search and survey etc. for more than three months but CBDT seems to be not bothered at all. Surprisingly the All India Secretary General of ITGOA is from West Bengal but could not create any impression on CBDT on any issue including national issue as ACIT promotion or local issue of unjustified cadre allocation in his own state.

(With inputs from http://insideincometax.blogspot.in/)

Bonanza for taxpayers in budget

Bringing cheer to individual taxpayers, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his maiden Union Budget 2014-15 in Parliament on Thursday, raised personal tax exemption limit to Rs 2.5 lakh from the current Rs 2 lakh. Income tax exemption limit for senior citizens has been raised to Rs 3 lakh. The Investment limit under Section 80C has also been hiked to Rs 1.5 lakh from the current Rs 1 lakh, while the FM increased housing loan interest rate deduction limit to Rs 2 Lakh. In further relief to the depositors, the FM announced that the PPF (Public Provident Fund) deposit ceiling will be raised to Rs 1.5 lakh from the existing Rs 1 lakh.
Highlights of budget 2014 regarding Income Tax
* No hike in direct tax rates 
* Retain tax targets for FY15
* Gross tax revenue seen 10.9% of GDP in FY16; 11.2% in FY17
* Retain interim gross tax collection aim
* Propose relief to individual tax payers
* Ups 80C tax break invest cap to Rs 150,000 from Rs 100,000
* Up tax exemption limit for senior citizens to Rs 300,000
* No change in rate of surcharge for corporates, individuals 
* No change in surcharge rates for direct tax
* To up personal income tax exemption limit to Rs 250,000
* Personal income tax exemption hiked by Rs 50,000 per year
* Will consider views on new Direct Tax Code draft
* Education cess to continue at 3% 

Mumbai ITGOA members seek clarification, threaten to resign from Association

Flash news : Delhi ITGOA agitation suspended
The ongoing agitation of ITGOA, Delhi kept in abeyance, as board has constituted a committee on directorate issues, committee will report by 18th July, 2014

News from ITGOA, Mumbai
A number of ITOs in Mumbai have written to ITGOA Mumbai and sought clarification regarding ACIT promotion, seniority list etc. They belong to 2001 batch of ITO. In this letter they requested answer of queries within 5 days and threatened to quit the association if their just demands and queries are not adhered to. A copy of the letter is with us. We are publishing it for public interest.
Click here to view the letter
(There were some technical problem and this link was not working. Now it is rectified and working perfectly. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

ITO to ACIT promotion : No immediate possibility

ITGOA, Central Headquarter issued a circular to all members apprising of different issues. Out of these issues, perhaps the most important issue, ACIT promotion is still uncertain.
"The CBDT had submitted two Review / Regular proposals for promotion to the post of ACsIT to UPSC on 18.02.2014. CBDT was advised by UPSC to obtain opinion of DOLA on the issue as to whether holding DPC from the existing seniority list of ITOs subject to revision of seniority of ITI/ITO based on the judgment of Hon’ble Supreme Court in N. R. Parmar will tantamount to contempt or not.

Assessees are required to authenticate email id and mobile No. for e filing

The process of updating and authenticating the contact details are below
New User
 Provide the correct Mobile Number and Email ID during the Registration in the e-Filing portal, Activation link would be sent to the registered E-mail ID and a One Time Password (OTP also called PIN) is sent to the registered Mobile Number. User needs to Click on the Link provided in the E-mail and enter the OTP received in the mobile number for Successful activation of the registered user in e-Filing portal 

Registered User 
After the user logs in to the e-filing account, the user is requested to update the current Mobile number and E-mail ID. The user should update their personal Mobile number and Email so that the updated contact particulars are registered with the Department or confirm that the Mobile number and email ID already registered is their valid personal contacts. 
Upon submitting the details, Department would immediately send OTPs (PIN1 & PIN2) to new mobile number and Email ID. The respective PINs- PIN1 and PIN2 received through Mobile number and E-mail ID should be entered by them in the respective input fields to authenticate that the email ID and mobile are correct. Upon successful validation the Mobile number  and email ID would be updated in the taxpayer’s profile and the process would be complete. 
If the PINs are not received within specified time (say 2 minutes), the taxpayer may opt for “Resend PINs” option. The PINs once received will be valid for 24 hours. The taxpayers are advised to validate the contact details using the PINs received within 24 hours. If PINs are not validated within 24 hours, the taxpayer has to login and follow the same procedure as above again. 
Note: 
Taxpayers are advised to follow the process mentioned above in the interest of the security of their e-filing account and to directly receive communication from the Department about status of processing and issue of refunds etc. 
This is a one-time process to validate the mobile number and email ID. However, whenever 
the taxpayer changes the Mobile Number or email ID in their Profile, the process will be repeated to ensure that the particulars provided are correct. 
One mobile number or email ID can be used for a maximum of 10 user accounts as the Primary Contact- Mobile Number and Email ID in e-Filing. This is to ensure that family members (not exceeding 10 separate users) not having personal email or mobile can be covered under a common email or mobile, but in general taxpayers should have their own unique email ID and Mobile registered with the Department. 
The taxpayer can enter any other person’s email or mobile number in addition as a Secondary Contact (without any restriction on the number of user accounts linked as a Secondary Contact). Using “Profile Settings  My Profile” the taxpayer can select to include the Secondary Contact to also receive emails, alerts etc. 
Include the emails and SMS from the Income tax Department in the ‘safe list’ or ‘white list’ to prevent the communications from the Department from being blocked or rejected or sent to Spam folder. 
As a best practice, please update and authenticate the current contact and address details 
under “Profile Settings  My Profile” after login to eFiling portal. 
Source : E filing portal (I.T. Dept.)