I-T dept creates 56 new ASK offices for taxpayers

NEW DELHI: In order to create better facilities for taxpayers, the Income Tax department has created 56 new outreach centres across the country during this financial year.

The Aaykar Sampark Kendras (ASKs) or popularly known as computerised I-T offices, are a single-window mechanism for taxpayers for filing their returns, checking refunds and grievance redressal.

All these centres have at least one dedicated computer system with internet connection and a taxpayer can get a number of things done like resolving PAN card related enquiries, viewing of 26AS tax statement, checking refund status for e-filed returns and obtaining tax related circulars.

"Out of the total 59 ASKs which were proposed to be setup during financial year 2013-14, the infrastructure for setting up 56 new ASKs across the country has been completed," a senior I-T officer said.

A number of authorised Tax Return Preparers ( TRPs) have also been deputed at these centres to help individual taxpayers with regard to their queries and filing of I-T returns.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), administrative authority of the I-T department, has already established 50 such ASKs in various cities.

These centres also have been provided with a dedicated desk for receiving PAN and TAN applications through authorised representatives of NSDL and UTIISL, the agencies which prepare these documents on behalf of the I-T department.

The ASKs, the official said, now have presence in all corners of the country with both metro and tier-II cities being included in the project.