Exclusive | Confident of achieving ₹25 lakh crore tax target despite modest pace: IT Dept Chief

With tax collections lagging behind the annual target of ₹25 lakh crore and industry concerns building around delayed refunds, tighter TDS timelines and long-pending appeals, the Income Tax Department finds itself navigating a complex compliance landscape.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC TV18’s Timsy Jaipuria, Income Tax Chairman Ravi Agarwal addresses concerns around the collection trajectory, the new Income Tax Act, refund delays, fraudulent claims, TDS corrections and the status of litigation disposal.

While maintaining confidence in meeting the fiscal’s revenue goals, he outlines the administrative pushes underway as the department transitions to the new tax framework.

Below is the edited transcript of the interview.

Q. The tax collection target is ₹25 lakh crore, but the curre