With last date nearing, rush to file tax returns

NEW DELHI: As the last date for filing income tax nears, there has been a rush to file returns, even amongst that are proficient only in vernacular languages.

myITreturn.com, an online portal, is enabling people to file their returns in nine languages, which – apart from English and Hindi -- includes Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Gujarati, Tamil, and Marathi.

Saakar Yadav, the founder of the platform, says that with GST payment route being increasingly adopted across businesses, and the digital UPI getting popular even with ordinary workers at kirana shops, maids, and small retailers, the number of people who need to file tax returns has increased.

“Add to these the category of Uber and Ola drivers, and those who are delivering food and groceries. All of these are now within the fold of the formal economy, and should file their tax returns,” Yadav says.

“These returns will help the ordinary filers when they approach a bank for financing. Earlier, they were paying much higher interest rates to the non-organised players, which now gets eliminated if they are accepted by the formal banking system.”

Yadav says that the online portal has helped nearly 3 million people file their tax returns so far. “The website is easy and intuitive to use, which enables many people to file their returns at ease.”

He says that apart from lone channels, the government should also open more centres and have trained professionals there to help people file their returns. “We do not charge people if their income is below Rs 5 lakh. For those earning beyond that, we charge a nominal fee.”

Yadav says that the number of people filing tax returns will go up in the future as a large number of youth have entered the working population.