Be-Aware / Beware !
Hindustan Times ( 30 Aug 2016 ) carries a news report titled :
" Income Tax dept will ‘name and shame’ those defaulting over Rs 1 crore "
The report elaborates :
" The Income Tax department, beginning this financial year,
has decided to ‘name and shame’ all
taxpayers who have a default of Rs one crore
and above.
The department has begun publishing the names of tax defaulters
in leading national dailies since last year and has named 67 such defaulters from across the country
till now with their vital details like addresses,
contacts, PAN card
number and shareholders in case of companies.
The earlier exercise was restricted to people with defaults to
the tune of about Rs 20-30 crore but the
new measure will bring to the fore those names who have defaulted a tax of Rs 1 crore or more.
“It has been decided to ‘name
and shame’ all category of taxpayers, including personal and corporate taxpayers who have a default of Rs 1 crore and above by March, 31 which is the
end of 2016-17 financial year.”
“The names will be published before July 31 next year,” a senior official said.
An order in this regard, also accessed by PTI, has also been
issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
The official said the aim of the exercise is to inform the public at large about such tax evaders
whom the taxman has not been able to lay their hands on despite using various investigative and enforcement tools.
The IT department has also provided a list of such names an
identities on its official web portal
"
Now , if anything , IT Dept decision is a " too little , too late " !
For decades now , Housing Societies have been " naming and shaming " their Members who
fail to make their monthly payment of Society Charges , even if by one day late
! By publishing their names on Society Notice Boards
And in a Society of say , 100 members , you are bound to look up
that Notice Board , sooner or later !
But how many citizens will take the trouble to look up the IT
department web site , when most do not even know that it exists !
News report says , " the aim
of the exercise is to inform the public at large about such tax evaders
whom the taxman has not been able to lay their hands on despite using various
investigative and enforcement tools "
Does IT department want people's
help in locating these defaulters ?
If yes , then it needs to go beyond just publicizing the
defaulter info on its web site
It needs to launch a Mobile App (
called , " Be-Ware " ? )
Anyone can download it from the web site of IT dept by entering
his Aadhar Number / Jan Dhan Bank a/c Number
" Be-Ware "
will display ( alphabetically ) , names of those Tax Defaulters
Long press on any name , will reveal the person's data ( as seen
currently on IT dept web site )
Below each data-sheet , will be a button which reads " INFORMER "
Touching it will open a box , wherein the " Informer " can provide information
leading to locating / arresting of that defaulter
Just click " SEND
" button after typing in the info
That simple !
A return acknowledgement SMS
from IT department will give a REGISTRATION
LINK , clicking which will show the informer , info provided by him , on
IT dept web site ( Proof of Pudding ! )
And every time he logs in at this LINK
, he will get to know the progress made by IT department in the case
It will also enable him to submit " Supplementary Data " ( about the Defaulter ) , from time to
time
A total transparency , in an atmosphere of Co-operation instead of Confrontation !
Based on info provided , if - and when - IT department recovers any
of that TAX DUES , that Informer's
Jan Dhan Bank A/c will get credited with 5 %
of the amount recovered ! ( the most welcome and well-earned, DBT ? )
And , the INFORMER will NOT be required to pay
any Income Tax , on such deposits !
One simple rule will apply ( like " Terms and Conditions
Apply " )
In case more than one Informer submits similar information about the same Tax Defaulter , the person
submitting it FIRST , will get 5 % and each subsequent informer , will get a ENCOURAGEMENT PRIZE of Rs 1,000 / -
In such a case , the decision of the IT department will be final
and binding on the informers
If implemented , rest assured that all smart phone manufacturers
would want to pre-install " Be-Ware
" on each and every phone shipped !
In such cases , the App can be " Activated " by the
phone-owner , by registering his Mobile Number on the IT department web site
IT Dept Guys !
Rope in millions ! Start a " Track-a-Crook " viral fever ! Get back Crores of public
money with little effort !
Income Tax Free " manna from heaven " of 5 % , will launch a million sleuths into ,
" BRING THE
CROOK TO BOOK " business !
No place for the Corrupts to hide !
But needed , one most important assurance for success :
All " Informers
" must be fully protected under " The
Whistle-Blower Protection Act " !
Way to Go , with some BOLD / OUT OF BOX , thinking
!
Of course , I would keep batting for total abolition of Personal Income Tax - the only permanent
solution to the twin evils of BLACK MONEY
and CORRUPTION !
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31 Aug 2016
www.hemenparekh.in /
blogs
hemen
parekh
Marol
, Mumbai , India
(
M ) +91 - 98,67,55,08,08
