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Faceless Tax Appeal Needs a Facelift
- The Economic Times |
- Economics (Indian Economy) |
- 2025-01-16
- Faceless Appeal Scheme
- National Faceless Appeal Centre
The article discusses the challenges faced by India's Faceless Appeal Scheme launched in 2020 to automate tax appeals. Issues like appeal backlogs, repeat notices, and financial burdens on taxpayers persist, highlighting the need for time-bound appeal resolutions.
Faceless Appeal Scheme (FAS)
In 2020, the Government of India introduced the Faceless Appeal Scheme (FAS) to automate tax administration at the I-T commissioners (appeal) level.
Challenges and Issues
- Huge Pendency: As of April 1, 2024, there were 5.5 lakh pending appeals, with over 3 lakh filed more than two years ago.
- Repeat Notices: Taxpayers face repeated requests for written support, yet no notice for a hearing is issued. Virtual hearing requests are often ignored.
- Blockage of Working Capital:
- Taxpayers must deposit 20% of disputed tax demands when filing appeals.
- Delays in resolving appeals financially strain taxpayers, affecting operations, particularly for MSMEs.
- Multiple Appeals: Delays cause tax officers to make similar assessments in subsequent years, escalating disputes and increasing pendency.
Steps Taken
- New Authority: The Finance Act 2023 introduced the joint commissioner of I-T (appeals) (JCIT(A)) to alleviate NFAC/CIT(A) burdens. However, progress has been minimal.
Recommendations
- A specific, mandatory time limit for appeal disposal is suggested, similar to the Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP) mechanism's nine-month timeframe.
- A proposed amendment could set a 15-month limit for NFAC/CIT(A) to resolve appeals.
Need to Change ‘Job’ Definition to Include Self-employed: Min
- The Economic Times |
- Economics (Indian Economy) |
- 2025-01-16
- Labour
- Labour and Employment ministry
India's labour minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, emphasized redefining 'jobs' to include self-employment and household work to boost female workforce participation. He highlighted the need for synergy between government and industry to address workforce requirements and enhance skills training.
Redefining Job Definitions in India
India needs to redefine the concept of a 'job' to include self-employed individuals and women engaged in household chores, as stated by Labour and Employment ministry. This change aims to enhance the female labour force participation rate in the country.
Key Points and Proposals
- Synergy in Thoughts and Actions: Mandaviya emphasized the need for the government and industry to work in concert to meet future workforce requirements.
- Taskforce for Workforce Analysis: A proposal to establish a taskforce to analyze sector-specific skilled worker requirements in India.
- Industry as a Skill Training Establishment: Suggestion to grant industries the status of an establishment to provide skill training tailored to their needs, thus creating demand-driven trained manpower.
- Impact of High Growth Rate: India's growth rate of 7-8% is expected to increase purchasing power, thereby boosting consumption, manufacturing, and demand for skilled workers.
- Mindset and Skill Enhancement: There is a need to change the youth's mindset and align skill enhancement programs with industry requirements.
Employment-linked Incentive Scheme
- The scheme, announced in the budget for 2024-25, involves cluster-wise mapping of manpower needs.
- Hub and Spoke Model: Skills training will be delivered through this model, with courses tailored to specific requirements in each cluster.