Controversy with Modi's statement that 1.5 crore people are recruiting IT: CBDT has to clarify

New delhi date. February 13, 2020, Thursday

Although the Narendra Modi government is constantly trying to increase the number of taxpayers, the number of income tax payers is low. This is the reason why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is emphasizing increasing the number of taxpayers. In a program on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi issued figures on the income tax, which the opposition is criticizing.

On Wednesday, Modi said that despite more than 300 million people going abroad for business, only 1.5 crore out of 130 crore people pay income tax. He further said that the number of taxpayers announcing income above Rs 50 lakh is only three lakh. There are only 2200 people who show their annual income in excess of one crore rupees.

The opposition has already started swinging at these figures presented by Modi. The opposition alleges that Prime Minister Modi is showing a small number of taxpayers. CPI General Secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted that according to Prime Minister Modi, every Indian is a thief.

While his party BJP has secretly raised crores of rupees through electoral bonds. He has urged Prime Minister Modi that if no one is paying taxes, what has Modi himself been doing for the last six years? Did he not claim while executing the notary that this would put a break on black money and tax evasion?

The dispute has clarified the Prime Minister's statement from the CBDT. CBDT has said that during the current financial year, 5.78 crore people have declared income for the year 2018-19. Out of which 1.03 crore people have shown income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh. 3.29 crore people have shown an income of Rs 2.5-5 lakh.

That is, 4.32 crore returns out of 5.78 crore returns are shown up to Rs 5 lakh. These are the people who get tax exemption on income of Rs 5 lakh and they also do not pay any income tax.