Lok Sabha Question No. 134 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: DIN System
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Hemant Patil, Shrirang Appa Barne, Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, DNV Senthilkumar. S.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.134

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY THE 18 th    NOVEMBER, 2019 27  Kartika, 1941 (SAKA)

## DIN SYSTEM

134. SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL: SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: SHRI VINAYAK RAUT: DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR S:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has launched the Documentation Identification Number (DIN) system recently;
- (b) if so, the details and the objective thereof along with the number of communications with DIN generated since its launch;
- (c)  whether  the  Government has taken steps to  protect  honest  tax  payers  from  harassment  at  the hands of income tax department with the introduction of DIN and if so, the details   thereof and if not, the corrective steps taken in this regard;
- (d)  whether  adequate  infrastructure  has  been  created  for  successful  running  of  DIN  and  proper training of officers/staff and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the other steps taken by the Government to provide greater accountability and transparency in tax administration?

## ANSWER

## (MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE) (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

- (a)   Yes, Sir.
- (b) & (c)     Under the new system, it has been mandated that no communication shall be issued by  any  Income  Tax Authority relating to assessment, appeals, orders, (statutory or otherwise), exemptions, enquiry, investigation, verification of information, penalty, prosecution, rectification, approval etc. to the assessee or any other person, on or after the 1 st day of October, 2019 unless a computer-generated Document Identification Number (DIN) has been allotted and is duly quoted in the  body of such communication. The objective is to ensure proper audit trail of all such communications. Till 11.11.2019, 5.33 crore communications with DIN have been issued by the Income Tax Department.

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(d)   Yes, Sir.  Adequate infrastructure has been created for successful running of DIN. Necessary changes have been made in the Income Tax Department's systems, processing centers, applications and softwares.  Adequate computer infrastructure is available with the officers for this purpose.  Moreover, necessary training and technical assistance has been  provided  to  officers  and  staff  of  the  Department  through  workshops,  webcasts, video conference etc.

(e)      The  Government has taken continuous initiatives for digitizing interactions with the tax  payers  which  has  helped  in  increasing  transparency,  efficiency  and  accountability. Majority  of  return  filing  and  rectification  applications  are  through  e-filing.  An  integrated platform called Income Tax Business Application (ITBA) for electronic conduct of various functions/proceedings has been implemented.  E-proceedings are conducted in all types of cases barring a few exceptions.   Process automation in routine and compliance functions has also been carried out.  Recently, government has launched a randomized, faceless, eassessment  scheme  to  obliterate  the  interface  between  the  assessor  and  the  assessed  and ensure complete transparency and accountability.

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