ITR scrutiny fell to 0.25% in AY 2018-19 to enable better services: FinMin

State-wise data also the number of returns filed during AY 2018-19 has gone up compared to AY 2017-18.

Income tax returns picked up for scrutiny has reduced to 0.25 per cent of the total ITRs filed in assessment year (AY) 2018-19, from 0.55 per cent in AY 2017-18, the Finance Ministry has said.

IT Dept is changing-from just enforcement to facilitating better taxpayer services. In continuation of the same, the no. of cases selected for scrutiny has reduced drastically over the years, the ministry said in a tweet late on Tuesday.

Official data released showed the number of income tax scrutiny cases was 0.71 per cent in AY 2015-16, 0.40 per cent in AY 2016-17, 0.55 per cent in AY 2017-18 and 0.25 per cent in AY 2018-19.

The ministry, however, did not give the absolute number of cases picked up for scrutiny during these years.

State-wise data also showed while the scrutiny as percentage of income tax returns (ITRs) filed has come down, the number of returns filed during AY 2018-19 has gone up compared to AY 2017-18.

Scrutiny cases in Odisha reduced to 0.12 per cent in AY 2018-19, from 0.37 per cent in the year before. Similarly, for Punjab, it came down from 0.40 per cent to 0.14 per cent in AY 2018-19.

As many as 1.2 million ITRs were filed in Odisha in AY 2018-19, against 831,000 in AY 2017-18.

In Punjab, 2.75 million ITRs were filed in AY 2018-19, up from 23.44 lakh filed in 2017-18.

In West Bengal 3.89 million ITRs were filed in AY 2018-19, while cases picked up for scrutiny was 0.25 per cent. This compares to 3.36 million ITRs filed and 0.59 per cent scrutiny cases in 2017-18.