PM Modi Launches 'Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest' Platform

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a platform called "Transparent Taxation - Honoring the Honest" via video conferencing. The main features of the new platform are faceless assessment, faceless appeal and taxpayers' charter with a focus to make the income tax system "people centric and public friendly," Modi said.

He said that the new platform will unveil the next phase of direct tax reforms aimed at easing compliance and rewarding honest taxpayers as the government looks to rebuild the pandemic-hit economy.

"Earlier our focus has been on banking the unbanked, securing the unsecured, funding the unfunded. Today, we are launching Honoring the Honest," Modi said at the launch via videoconferencing.

"Where there is complexity, there is a problem in compliance," he said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, also at the launch, said that the government's mission is to empower taxpayers, provide a transparent system and honor the honest taxpayer. She said that the CBDT has given a framework and out in a place a system that is transparent, efficient and accountable. The new platform will use AI (artificial intelligence) and data analytics, she added.

"Faceless assessment and taxpayers charter have come into force from today," PM Modi said.

The faceless assessment facility will be made available across India from 25 September.

The government has been focusing on faceless income tax assessment to reduce the scope for corruption and overreach by tax officials.