A massive outreach and awareness program titled "Prarambh-2026" regarding the New Income Tax Act, 2025, was organized today at the Kaveri Hall of the C.R. Building in Bengaluru, under the leadership of Smt. Vidisha Kalra, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Karnataka and Goa Region).

Renowned tennis player Shri Rohan Bopanna participated as the chief guest and addressed the gathering. Senior officials of the department provided information on various dimensions of the new Act. While Shri A. Srinivasa Rao, Principal Commissioner of Income Tax (Judicial), provided an overview of the Act, information on various topics was presented by offices including CIT (TDS), DIT (I and CI), CIT (Exemptions), PCIT-2 Bengaluru, and CCIT (IT) South Zone.

In her speech, Smt. Vidisha Kalra, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Karnataka and Goa Region), stated that the Income Tax Act, 2025, is a significant step toward building a more transparent and taxpayer-centric tax administration system. She mentioned that the new Act has been designed to reduce complexity and be easily understood, thereby encouraging voluntary tax compliance. She emphasized the need to provide continuous support to taxpayers during this transition phase and called upon taxpayers to actively utilize the department's digital facilities.

On this occasion, demonstrations were held for the department's digital initiatives, such as the "Kar Saathi”: AI chatbot, the “Kar Setu”: guidance manual explaining the relationship between the 1961 and 2025 Acts, a comic book titled “Madhukar Explains the Income Tax Act, 2025,” information pamphlets, and the ‘Samvaad’ program for interacting with taxpayers.

These reform measures and community outreach efforts by the department received widespread publicity in both print and electronic media. The Income Tax Act, 2025, came into effect on April 1, 2026, and accordingly, necessary changes have been made to the rules and prescribed forms. These historic reforms aim to make tax laws simple, clear, and taxpayer-friendly, facilitating easier tax compliance for all categories of taxpayers. The program focused specifically on assisting the smooth transition from the old Income Tax Act of 1961 to the new Act of 2025, simplifying provisions, rationalizing sections and forms, and enhancing taxpayer facilities.Several key stakeholders, including prominent taxpayers, representatives of FKCCI, Chartered Accountants' associations, tax practitioners' associations, trade and industry bodies, and tax advocates, participated enthusiastically in the program.

 

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