FM Sitharaman inaugurates newly constructed Aayakar Bhawan of Income Tax Department in Kochi

Kochi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who on Friday inaugurated a newly constructed Aayakar Bhavan here, said that Income Tax offices must have efficient and aesthetically designed working environments.

She praised the new office of the Income Tax Department here saying it had "wonderful features" and followed the good aesthetics of Kerala like the Kochi Airport.

The Aayakar Bhawan has been constructed with a project cost of about Rs 64 crore. It has a built-up area of 8,227 sq m and carpet area of 4,469 sq m.

The union minister said she hoped that the benefit of such a working space and also the mental readiness of staff would make the place hospitable and approachable for tax assessees.

The minister also urged the department to upload all its documents in the regional language to help assessees.

While congratulating the department for recording a growth rate of 23.2 per cent in tax collection, which exceeded the national growth rate of 17.4 per cent, she said the department must continue its excellent track record.

The finance minister also released the 'Tax Deductor's Guide 2023', a compendium of provisions of TDS in Malayalam which would help tax deductors understand TDS provisions more easily and ensure better compliance with them.

She also distributed models of ISRO's famed Chandrayaan rocket to students of government schools to encourage them to develop scientific temper.

CBDT Chairman Nitin Gupta, CBDT Member Sanjai Kumar Verma, and Kerala Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax Sunil Mathur attended the function.