Taxpayers file returns on the first day of the camp in Ranchi on Wednesday. (Prashant Mitra)

For hassle-free submission of returns by assessees within the stipulated deadline, which expires on Thursday, the income tax (IT) department on Wednesday opened a two-day camp at Celebration Hall of Ranchi Club.

There are 13 counters for receiving tax returns, besides a number of help desks, some exclusively for women and senior citizens. These help in verification of PAN and ensure forms are filled up correctly.

“Around 50 tax officials have been deputed for smooth filing of returns,” said Vidya Ratan Kishore, the deputy commissioner of income tax who is supervising the camp. He added that while tax assessors had been deputed at receiving counters, IT inspectors and other senior functionaries were helping people fill up forms accurately.

Asked what kind of help assessees were seeking, the DC (I-T) said most people who attended the camp on Day One were teachers and salaried people like government employees. “Many of them are making minor mistakes, which are being corrected here,” Kishore said.

Ramesh Kumar, a railway employee from Muri, said he had found the camp helpful. “People like us find it otherwise difficult to go about such paperwork. Officials at the camp were good at trouble-shooting. I had no difficulty in filing my return.”

Ranchi has 3 income tax circles, each having 4 wards. The districts of Lohardaga, Simdega and Gumla also come under its jurisdiction. Around 23,000 people had filed their I-T returns in Ranchi last year.

“The department is trying to decentralise the system so that people from other districts do not have to come here for submitting their returns in the future,” Kishore added.

He said more than 17,000 people had already submitted their returns before the camp began and they were expecting another 3,000 to do so during the camp.

On the figure anomaly, the senior tax official said that it was now compulsory for those having an annual income of over Rs 5 lakh to file e-returns. “Many salaried people prefer the online process these days. Hence, the rush to our camp has relatively eased,” he added.