Saral form to return

Scrapped three years back, the much talked-about simple tax form, Saral, is on its way back in a new avatar, making the task of filing tax returns easier.

"The Income Tax return forms should be simple and user friendly. I have asked the department to work on SARAL-II forms for early introduction," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said today while unveiling the Budget 2009-10.

Mukherjee said, "It is time that we complete the process of building a trust-based simple, neutral tax system".

"We need a tax system which generates revenues on a sustained basis without use of coercive tax collection methods at the end of each year to meet the targets," Mukherjee said.

The simple, one-page Saral form was replaced by the form 2F from August 1, 2006, which was a four-page form.

After much opposition from various quarters, the government scrapped form 2F as well, replacing it with ITR forms, which can be accessed online.

A Parliamentary Standing Committee had also dubbed form 2F as 'Kathin' (hard), asking for its replacement with Saral form.