Finance Minister to inaugurate national tax e-assessment centre

News:Union Finance Minister will be inaugurating the National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC) in New Delhi.The centre is part of the E-assessment scheme, 2019.

Facts:

About E-assessment scheme:

  • The scheme aims at faceless e-assessment to impart greater efficiency, transparency and accountability in the assessment process.There would be no physical interface between taxpayers and tax officers.
  • The scheme makes it mandatory for the taxman to make communication with taxpayers online.The tax notices will be issued by a centralised e-assessment centre requiring taxpayers to reply only through digital mode.
  • The cases selected for scrutiny shall be allocated to assessment units in a random manner and notices shall be issued electronically by a Central Cell without disclosing the name, designation or location of the assessing officer. 
  • The Scheme will have dedicated E-assessment centres such as the National E-assessment Centre, Regional E-assessment Centre, assessment units, verification units, technical units and reviewer units with each centre and unit having a clearly defined role and process to follow.
  • The income tax department would use data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other latest tools to ascertain misreporting or evasion.

Structure of the scheme: