Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today inaugurated the new Income Tax Department office complex, ‘Aayakar Sindhu’, at Nariman Point in Mumbai.
Addressing the gathering, she said that, much like the name of the building suggests, the nation’s treasury is built into an ocean through the taxes paid by every taxpayer.
Senior officials of the Income Tax Department spoke about the difficulties they faced in securing various clearances for the construction of the complex and thanked the Finance Minister for her efforts in helping to resolve them.
Responding to this, Sitharaman said that if officers of the Indian Revenue Service had to run from pillar to post to obtain approvals, one could only imagine the hardships faced by ordinary citizens.
She urged the department’s officers to reflect on this reality and work towards removing such hurdles while ensuring due compliance with the rules.
The Finance Minister also called upon officials to remember that every time they enter the building, they should think not only of revenue collection but also of serving the nation. She said integrity should remain the guiding principle of their work.
On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Sitharaman paid tribute to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. She also remembered Khurshed Framji Nariman, popularly known as Veer Nariman, after whom Nariman Point is named.
The finance minister also planted a sapling on the premises of the Aayakar Sindhu complex. The Chairperson of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Ravi Agrawal, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax Mumbai Alok Kumar, senior officials of the Income Tax Department and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
