New Delhi: The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, called upon the Officer Trainees of the 77th Batch of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) to embark on an “overdrive mission mode” to cultivate the spirit of economic nationalism in the country. Addressing the trainees at the Parliament House Complex, he emphasized the significance of promoting ‘Vocal for Local’ and fostering a love for Swadeshi to prioritize self-reliance.
Vice-President Dhankhar stressed that unnecessary imports posed a substantial drain on India’s foreign exchange reserves, impacting both employment opportunities and entrepreneurship. He urged the IRS fraternity to prioritize economic nationalism as a means to bolster the nation’s growth.
With a population of 1.4 billion, Vice-President Dhankhar noted that India’s tax collection potential remained largely untapped. He emphasized the need to increase the number of taxpayers not through coercion but through counseling and support, fostering a sense of responsibility towards national development.
Acknowledging transformative taxation reforms over the past decade that have reduced the tax burden and eliminated distortionary incentives, the Vice-President celebrated the three-fold rise in direct tax collection. He highlighted the paradigm shift in the relationship between taxpayers and tax administrators, characterized by togetherness and a consensual stance.
The Vice-President lauded recent initiatives in tax services that have boosted confidence in tax administration, built trust, and enhanced the ease of doing business in the country. He cautioned against the “transgression and overreach of law,” emphasizing the importance of informing potential taxpayers about the advantages of being part of the formal economy.