Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, emphasized the need for a tax administration that is fair, efficient, transparent, and taxpayer-centric during the 167th anniversary of Income Tax Day celebrations. She outlined her vision for modernizing the tax system and highlighted the progress made in upgrading infrastructure, technology, and human capital.
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, participated in the 167th anniversary of Income Tax Day celebrations by Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) in New Delhi on July 24, 2026. The event was also attended by Shri Arvind Srivastava, Secretary, D/o Revenue; Shri Ravi Agrawal, Chairman, CBDT; Shri Vivek Chaturvedi, Chairman, CBIC; and other senior officers and officials of the Department. In her address, Smt. Sitharaman highlighted the progress made in upgrading offices and welfare facilities, as well as the enhanced capacity of the e-Filing portal, improved return processing, prompt refunds, and significant progress in grievance redressal.
She stressed that the Department must move beyond disposal of grievances to analysing recurring issues and preventing them through systemic improvements. She outlined the 5Rs of Responsive Tax Governance – Recognize, Respond, Redress, Reflect, and Reform, as guiding principles for taxpayer service. Smt. Sitharaman underlined the importance of strengthening institutional capacity through modern infrastructure, technology, and continuous investment in human capital.
She also called for a continued focus on reducing litigation by strengthening tax certainty. The event concluded with the release of six flagship publications of the Income Tax Department.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
