Platinum, Gold, Silver & Bronze Category of Income TaxAppreciation Certificates & its eligibility

Government is following Carrot and stick approach for levy of taxes. Non complying taxpayers are penalised whereas taxpayers paying taxes and doing proper compliances are recognised by issuing appreciation certificates.

Lot many taxpayers are getting appreciation certificates from the income tax department. It has almost become an annual feature.

Some have got a different certificate in different. Someone have got Gold certificate last year and have received bronze this year. Some have got Platinum this year as against Silver last year.

How the certificates are issued, what are the criteria is the common questions raised by the taxpayers.

The certificates are issued on the basis of the amount of taxes paid by the taxpayers to the Government Treasury as well as on the basis of pending compliances from the taxpayers perspective.

ON THE BASIS OF TAXES PAID,

 

S.NO.	CERTIFICATE TITLE	TAXES PAID
1	Bronze category	Taxpayers who have paid income tax in the range of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 Lakh, a year
2	Silver category:	Taxpayers who have paid income tax between Rs 10 Lakh to Rs 50 Lakh.
3	Gold category:	Taxpayers who have paid income tax between Rs 50 Lakh to Rs 1 crore
4	Platinum category:	Taxpayers who have paid income tax Rs 1 crore and above.

Further, taxpayers who have outstanding old unpaid dues are not issued the certificates.

Taxpayers against whom the cases of penalty and prosecutions are filed are also not considered as eligible for the certificate even thought the taxes are paid as per above calculations.

Further, the attempt is made to link the PAN with other history of the taxpayers before issuing the certificates.