The Income Tax department has fallen short of its budget target of collecting Rs.40,528 crore by eight per cent in the regions of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The region recorded a total net collection of Rs.37,271 crore for 2012-13.

It attributed the shortfall in collection to the general economic slowdown, shortage of manpower and the power crisis. A department release said the region achieved 92 per cent of the target despite these deterrent factors. The region achieved a net growth rate of eight per cent in collections as compared to previous financial year.

The department also announced a change in the jurisdiction as well as range of a section of assessees in Tambaram. The assessees residing within the limits of the Chennai Corporation, which has since been extended, have been brought under the jurisdiction of the Income Tax office, Chennai. Till now these people were assessed at Tambaram.

The release further said that apart from the areas covered in the extended Corporation limits, some of the areas, which are in close proximity to Income Tax office at Chennai, have also been brought under the jurisdiction of the Assessing officers in Chennai, in the interest of tax payers.

Nearly 27 pin codes would be delinked from the Income Tax office at Tambaram and they would be brought under the jurisdiction of Income Tax office, Nungambakkam, Chennai. The department will release advertisements in the media very soon, the release said.

REORGANISATION

The jurisdictions of Chief Commissioners and the Commissioners of Income Tax in Chennai have been reorganised. This would come into effect from May 1 and a gazette notification had already been issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes. As far as the tax payers were concerned, there will not be any change in the assessing officer or the range under which they were assessed to tax at present, the release added.