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2026-07-26 11:35 UTC → 2026-07-27 07:59 UTC ·
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In mid‑July On 24 July 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman used the YiFi Entrepreneurship Summit 167th Income‑Tax Day to portray India as a newly‑positioned “enabler of enterprise,” citing reforms such as formalisation, digitisation, GST and massive infrastructure investments that provide policy stability stress tax‑certainty and a predictable tax regime for startups. A week later, at the 167th Income Tax Day, she shifted focus to the tax system, urging the Income Tax Department to make compliance easier for honest taxpayers. citizen‑centric approach. She introduced a reiterated the “five Rs” framework for service improvement (recognise, respond, redress, reflect, reform) and highlighted the new Income‑Tax Act 2025 as a step toward simplifying the law, reducing uncertainty and lowering compliance costs. Further remarks on 24 July emphasized taxpayer convenience, record e‑filing activity and rapid refund processing. Sitharaman called for consistent interpretation across jurisdictions and faster payouts, reinforcing the government's drive for regulatory certainty and streamlined taxation. In the same address, she expanded on the five‑Rs—recognise, respond, redress, reflect, reform—and announced new 2025, digital tools, including upgrades such as PAN 2.0, ITBA 2.0 and the SAKSHAM NUDGE platform. She inaugurated praised record e‑filings, faster refunds and urged officials to move from litigation management to “litigation prevention,” ensuring honest taxpayers are not forced to “run from pillar to post.” Three days later, at the inauguration of the 13‑storey Aaykar Sindhu building in Mumbai, using the occasion Sitharaman warned against “laid‑back” functioning within government bodies. She flagged illegal encroachments on land allotted to stress the department since 1973 and highlighted a citizen‑centric approach shortage of residential accommodation for tax officers, which fuels long commutes and the shift from litigation management to “litigation prevention,” further cementing hampers service delivery. The minister called for efficient, rule‑based processing of legitimate requests, reinforcing the pro‑business, taxpayer‑friendly agenda. broader agenda of streamlined taxation, regulatory certainty and a pro‑business environment. These actions extend her earlier push for formalisation, digitisation and infrastructure investment, anchoring tax reform as a cornerstone of India’s pro‑enterprise strategy.