Text of the Vice-President's address to the 77th Batch of Indian Revenue Service Officer Trainees

Good morning, all of you!

When I look at your faces, I am very confident. We are a nation with a difference, and we are on the rise.

Let me narrate a small incident!

When a baby elephant collided with a baby mouse, the baby mouse asked the baby elephant, "How old are you?" She said, "3 months." Then the rat became very upset that its body had grown so big in 3 months. Then the baby elephant asked the baby mouse, "How old are you?" So he said, “My health is not good these days.

Friends, a delightful occasion to address a group of bright young officers who have joined the Government of India to be in the service of Bharat, home to One-sixth of humanity.

Bharat is changing and the increasing presence of women officers, I can see all around, very impactful is a testament to the same. Presence of 35 women officers in the batch, comprising 38% of its strength, is reflective of change we all are seeing on ground. Particularly we witnessed it in full glory on 26 January 2024 at kartavya path.

Friends, Bharat defines to the world the woman led empowerment by epochally providing one third reservation to women in Lok sabha and State Legislatures. They would be part of policy making and governance.

This is a historic change, a change that fructified after three decades of struggle. Imagine when Lok Sabha and State legislatures will have One-third women and more. The impact on policy and governance will be soothing, wholesome and absolutely essential for inclusivity.

Friends, You all are fortunate for being part of the growth story of the nation that is on the rise as never before and the rise is unstoppable.  A nation that has set the target of being a developed nation  Viksit Bharat@2047. 

I am particularly pleased to welcome the Trainee Officers from Bhutan and wish the people of Bhutan every success in their national endeavours. India greatly values its friendship with Bhutan.

Friends, you have to vindicate the motto in the Logo of your department “कोष मूलो दण्ड” यानी “धन मूल शक्ति है"।This appears in Kautilya’s  Arthshastra emphasizing that the treasury is foundation of administration.

Our nation today is defined by a robust economy, already fifth largest global economy, on way to becoming the third largest global economy in two years; exponential rise in infrastructure with world class roads, airports, railway stations, trains; phenomenal empowerment of digitisation; transparent and accountable governance; and unprecedented upsurge in our global image. This is the Bharat, in which you are living, that's why I call you fortunate to join the service of the nation at this time.

Corruption free environment with enforceability of equality before law. These were distant dreams few years ago, They are ground reality and new norm today. What a big change! You will have full occasion to exploit your potential and talent to serve your motherland.

Friends, in this upbeat national mood of Hope and Possibility you all are going to charter the tax administration of the country from Amrit Kaal onwards to विकसित भारत@2047.

Imagine what lies on your shoulders! A perfect platform is made available to you. You have tobe in delivery mode now.

In the last decade, Transformative taxation reforms and two of the great champions of the transformative tax reforms are on the dias Mr. P. C. Mody and Mr. Nitin Gupta, they are there.

So in the last decade transformative taxation reform reduced the tax burden and removed distortionary incentives paving the way for increasing the tax base to further boost growth.When I say distortion in incentives that was absolutely a pain, It has been  rationalised seamless mechanism is now in place. It takes great planning and approach to do it, this has been accomplished it is a big change.

Paradigm mindset shift, both with the department and taxpayers, has taken place. The relationship now is one of being in concert, in togetherness, in consensual instances. No one dreads today the tax administrator.

Friends, for any country or any individual, resource mobilisation and its optimal spending are key to national development. This makes your role and commitment vital. It is soothing to note that over the last decade, the direct tax collections have shown a three-fold rise, and the number of people filing income-tax returns increased nearly 2.5 times.

Recent citizen-centric initiatives in tax services have boosted the confidence of people in tax administration.

I think there could not have been a more dramatic 360 degree change in the outlook. Earlier Income Tax inspector, Income tax officer, the assessing officer generated hope in the tax payer who is the participant in the nation development. Now they are in togetherness partner.

There has also been increasing emphasis on smooth and seamless resolution of tax disputes to make the system more friendly to tax-payers, focusing on building trust and enhancing the ease of doing business in the country.

I got into parliament in 1989. I was a Union Minister. I never thought I will see a mechanism where income tax department will continually remind me that you have changed your bank account and therefore your refund is not being credited. Just imagine, such kind of hand holding by the Income Tax Department and another great thing that has happened for a person of my age, they make available entire transaction to you in one form. You may forget, but the department does not forget. This is a great big leap towards modernity.

Tax collection potential remains to be untapped. We are a nation of 1.4 people, when we take the number of tax payers in relation to our population the number is not desirable. This number needs to go up. This number has to go up not by invasive actions, not by coercive mechanism but by taking recourse to counselling and that I am sure you always undertake.

As members of this service, It is your obligation to effect optimal exploitation of this potential so that largest number of people come forward to be taxpayers and enhance tax basket so that our national development can look up further.

This has to be done according to me in two fold manner. First, awareness! Let the people know that the department today has a mechanism to know all of their transactions. Technologically the department is equipped to reach out to every ones fiscal behaviour and the moment they come to know about it they will be a sense of fear but you can give relief that it is easy to be tax complaint and the moment there is the intermix of the two the number will go up and the number should go up because a nation does need money for its development trajectory.

Friends, my generation and most of on this dais have seen cash transactions, informal economy. That was part of our life. We were used to it. Gone are the days of informal economy and cash transactions.

Department is availing latest technology as regards spending of individuals, thanks to PAN,  Aadhar and other mechanisms.

The moment the person knows that I am under the watch, what I seek to hide is known to them, he will try to be compliant rather than compliance be effected because the latter one is not going to be present.You all have to instil in people a sense that the surest passage to success is to be tax compliant and law abiding.

Potential tax payers need to be informed about the advantages of being part of formal economy. Most people are not aware and the moment you tell them that you are the part of the formal economy, if you are tax file is good, you will be in a position to reap advantages from government policies, banking system and simultaneously you must also inform them travails of not following rule of law.

And I am sure once this happens there will be no transgression and overreach of law and people will fall in line.

Friends, a person may collect money, a government may collect money people give it they gave it because it is there obligation, they gave it because they felt like giving it a charity but they want one supreme confidence that is my money being used well, it is it going for right cause is it serving the nation and in this context, let me tell you with pride a wholesome development is that now the taxpayer is assured that his tax payments are being fully and optimally utilised for national development.

How else would you see this type of growth in infrastructure Rail, Roads,Airports, exponential growth. the world is taking note of it we never visualise or dreamt that the country will have this kind of development because there is optimum utilisation of tax collected money. This has heightened people’s confidence as corruption and avoidance of law are no longer rewarding.

You are discerning minds, the brilliant minds. You have had earlier experience also as a gather from your training and its course. You know it corruption is now huge liability, avoidance of legal process give you sleepless nights. There was a time when there was a privilege pedigree but that privileged pedigree has learned the hard way that in a democratic society all are equal. Democracy thrives and Blossoms only and only because there is equality before law. So you have a perfect platform to deliver.

Your role is especially significant given the rising share of direct taxes in overall tax revenue. In India, the direct tax collection till the end of the last calendar year was well over 50% of the Budget Estimates of Direct Taxes for F.Y. 2023-24.

In fact, I am told that the Direct Tax to GDP ratio touched a record high of 6.11 per cent at the end of F.Y. 2023!

You, my dear young officers, represent the very best of Bharat’s talent pool that has been tested by a severe competitive examination. You are here after being made to go and undertake regress training. You therefore  are fully equipped to take on the challenge which you face to make Bharat a great Nation.

Your commitment to serving humanity with integrity and directional approach should never be compromised. I can tell you given your position, there will be temptations. There may be feel be instances where you may feel confidently yielding to temptations will not get detected. Trust me gone are the days this will no long happen. Everything is subject to detection and under watch. The safest route to being a good officer a good citizen is never to take shortcuts, believe in rule of law.

I can tell you, each one of you will have an option and other avenues where you can make greater money, more money, there may be offers also but the pleasure and satisfaction of serving Bharat Mata in this position is more than any other compensation you may get outside.

Your role in ensuring effective tax administration and improved voluntary compliance and in creating deterrence against tax evasion make you critical contributors to the act of Nationbuilding.

You are enjoined with the task of laying the foundations of Viksit Bharat@2047. Next 25 years will be defined by your commitment and directional approach. Foundations are being laid now. You must wear the mantle of this responsibility with pride, and with due integrity.

Friends I will make a special appeal for which I am passionately committed. Vocal for local, a call given by our Hon'ble Prime Minister and love for swadeshi are facets of economic nationalism.

Now just imagine this country making a huge demand on Foreign Exchange because we import items that are avoidable and what are the ill effects of it. Immediate ill effect is our Foreign Exchange is drained. Second, Employment opportunities are being deprived and Third entrepreneurship is blunted.

Now when all effects are there some people engage into this activity for fiscal gain. My appeal to them that no fiscal gain can be sufficient to compromise on economic nationalism.

But where do you come in between for this. In your normal course, you will be dealing with the Chartered Accountants with Company Secretaries, the people from Commerce, Trade and Industries.

People would love to interact with you from these segments, if you take it up on themselves to instil in them a sense of commitment for economic nationalism, nurture economic naturalism you will be doing a great service to the nation and rise of economy on this nation on this count alone will be very significant. I am sure you will keep this in mind.

Friends I urge your fraternity to promote the spirit of economic nationalism in a mission mode with passion to serve the nation.

I wish you the best for your future as all of you join marathon march for developed Bharat@2047.

I have every hope confidence and optimism that you will deliver. Some of us may not me around to see your glorious success but we will meet our maker with the hope and confidence that success will not elude you.

 Thank you so much! Be ever blessed.