The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has ordered regulation of leave of all income-tax (I-T) department officials over the next three months. The CBDT wants to ensure that enough officials are available to run the ongoing one-time black money window scheme, also known as the income declaration scheme (IDS).

People familiar with the matter said the CBDT has issued a special order in this regard to all the field offices of the I-T department, asking supervisory authorities to sanction leave to officials only under “pressing circumstances” and to keep it at the “minimum”.

The CBDT, the policy-making body of I-T department, has reasoned that since declarations under the IDS can be made anytime, the presence of officials was needed.

Also, the officials should be available to help clarify the doubts of potential declarants and explain to them the provisions, if required. The order is valid for “officers and officials working in the I-T department”.

“The latest directive to regulate leaves of I-T officials, from the senior-most to juniors, across the country is virtually like pulling out all stops to ensure the success of the IDS. The progress under this scheme is being monitored at the top levels of the government and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has talked about it in his recent Maan Ki Baat radio session,” a senior official said.

The official said the designated principal I-T commissioners will have no leave during the three more months that the IDS would be operational.

In order to review its progress, revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia will again hold a high-level meeting with all the top officials of the CBDT and the I-T department from across the country later this week, the official added.

The IDS is open for four months, between 1 June and 30 September, and the CBDT and the I-T department have introduced a number of measures to make it a success.

The CBDT has so far issued three sets of clarifications, or frequently asked questions (FAQs), to clear doubts and answer queries about the IDS.

The department has also published a country-wide list of registered asset valuers for those who wish to declare their untaxed funds and properties under the one-time domestic black money compliance window. #casansaar (PTI -LiveMint)