In a press release today, the Tamil Nadu government said that a strong financial base was necessary for the implementation of  developmental schemes and projects for the people. Various welfare schemes were being implemented with the revenue generated through taxes collected by the state government.

The Commercial taxes department brought in 2/3rds of the total revenue of the state. The department played an important part in sourcing the finance required for the development of the state and for the implementation of welfare projects. Only the basic functions of the commercial taxes department had been computerised. Knowing this, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had ordered the computerisation of the entire functioning of the department to boost the performance of the department based on the growing trade transactions.

Through the computerisation of the commercial taxes department, there would be periodical updating of all necessary information and data. A round the clock help line would be set up to help tax payers access these information data whenever and where ever they were required. This would greatly reduce the direct contacts between the businessmen and the department. Further, the tax payers would get all information on their computers as the entire functioning of the department would be computerised. This would increase the transparency of the department, the release added.

Further, because of computerisation, it would be easy for the Commercial taxes department to work jointly with various departments including auditing, banks, treasury, the tax administration of other states and the income tax department. The work load of the employees of the commercial taxes department would be greatly reduced as computerisation would simplify their work and they could use their free time to concentrate on other important pending work of the department.

To help get all information necessary for the department through computerisation, information management methods and the quality of information gathering would be enhanced. Through this, accurate information would be gathered and on that basis, correct decisions could be taken.  This would help increase collection of taxes and immediate steps could be taken to check tax evasion, the press release said.

Ms Jayalalithaa ordered the implementation of the scheme at a cost of 230.96 crore rupees. Of this 93.40 crore rupees would be the basic expenditure and rest of the amount would be used for the recurring expenditure for a period of 5 years. Ms Jayalalithaa had ordered the implementation of this pioneering scheme in 14 months.

All the employees of the department would be imparted with computer training. Training would also be given to tax payers to  create awareness about the project and ensure proper utilisation of the services.

Ms Jayalalithaa had ordered a high level committee led by the Chief Secretary to oversee the implementation of the scheme.

The committee would consist of the Principal secretary of the Finance department, secretary to the department of IT, Commercial taxes and Registration department secretary and Commissioner of the Commercial taxes department as its members. The Joint Commissioner of the Commercial taxes department would function as member-convener. 

This scheme of the Tamil Nadu government would help  tax payers to get necessary information any time and would also help the government to have a check on tax evaders which would help increase revenue collection, the release concluded.