ISLAMABAD (September 29 2003): To ensure proper entry of taxpayers' data gathered through income tax returns under Universal Self-Assessment Scheme (USAS), the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) will separately process the refund applications filed along with the returns up to September 30, 2003.
The CBR has already launched the Universal Self-Assessment Implementation Plan at the level of commissionerates/zones.
The new system would minimise the possibility of errors during filing of income tax returns.
The CBR has directed all Regional Commissioners of Income Tax (RCITs) to gear up their efforts for proper data entry.
Under the plan, after receipt of income tax returns by September 30, 2003, data would be sent directly to a centre to be established by Member, Information Management System (IMS).
In this connection, Member IMS has formulated 'Standard Operating Procedure' for timely dispatching of returns.
The returns containing refund application would be segregated and arranged in separate batches and a stamp of 'REFUND' would be put on all such returns.
The CBR would prepare separate batches of returns accompanied with refund applications, salary and non-salary cases, which would be submitted to Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) for data entry.
PRAL would identify deficiencies, if any, in the returns of income tax for the Tax Year 2003, which would be then communicated to the taxpayers through field formations.
The field officers upon receipt of requisite information from the taxpayers would again submit the necessary data to PRAL on 'prescribed format' for completion of data entry exercise.
Istataat Ali, Project Director Officer, Universal Self-Assessment Implementation Plan, has started visiting field offices at various levels for discussing the plan with the concerned officers.
From September 30, 2003, to period of completion of data entry of returns, the tax officers would liquidate all pending assessments including arrears, total audit cases and recover arrears tax demand, the CBR added.
