**Executive Summary**
The Income Tax Department conducted a series of outreach programmes from May 20 to May 22, 2026, across the Pune and Thane regions as part of the PRARAMBH-2026 initiative. These sessions aimed to educate stakeholders on the provisions of the new Income-tax Act, 2025, and facilitate its smooth implementation through technology-driven facilitation. The initiative focused on promoting transparency, voluntary compliance, and a simplified, trust-based tax system.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Scope and Regional Outreach**
* Programs were held in Pune (Yerawada, Swargate), Pimpri-Chinchwad (Nigdi), Thane, and Kalyan.
* Events were organized by various charges including the offices of Principal Commissioner of Income Tax-1, 2, and 3 for Pune and Thane.
* Sessions targeted specific groups, such as over 100 State GST Department officials in Yerawada and more than 350 stakeholders at the Thane outreach event.
**Core Provisions of the Income-tax Act, 2025**
* Introduction of the "Tax Year" concept.
* Updates to the return filing framework and TDS/TCS provisions.
* New requirements for tax audits and transitional provisions for shifting to the new legislation.
* Measures for the simplification and rationalization of tax laws to enhance ease of understanding.
**Technology and Facilitation Initiatives**
* **Revamped Income Tax Portal:** Demonstrations were provided on the updated interface and taxpayer services.
* **Kar Saathi:** An AI-enabled chatbot available 24/7 on the department website for immediate assistance.
* **Kar Setu:** A comprehensive platform for guidance and reference materials.
* **Samvaad:** Interactive learning sessions designed to address practical implementation issues and questions.
**Administrative Focus**
* Emphasis on the "Jurisdictional Assessment Unit" for taxpayers.
* Shift towards a taxpayer-centric administration and technology-driven compliance.
* Focus on stakeholder awareness to ensure a smoother transition to the new legal framework.
**Impact Analysis**
**Salaried Government Employees**
**Impact**
They received specialized training on deductions, exemptions, and return filing specific to their roles under the new Act.
**Action Required**
Must utilize the revamped Income Tax portal and digital tools for filing future returns and claiming exemptions.
**Chartered Accountants and Tax Professionals**
**Impact**
Gained technical insights into transitional provisions, tax audit requirements, and practical implementation perspectives through keynote lectures.
**Action Required**
Required to guide clients through the new legislation and use the *Kar Setu* platform for guidance on complex compliance issues.
**Industry Representatives and Trade Associations**
**Impact**
Sectors such as warehousing, jewellery, and pharmaceuticals were briefed on how simplification measures and the "Tax Year" concept affect business operations.
**Action Required**
Members must align their internal accounting and TDS/TCS systems with the requirements of the Income-tax Act, 2025.
**General Taxpayers**
**Impact**
Increased awareness of voluntary compliance and the availability of 24/7 support through AI-driven tools.
**Action Required**
Encouraged to engage with the *Kar Saathi* chatbot and *Samvaad* sessions to resolve queries related to the new legislation.
Key Entities Referenced
Income-tax Act, 2025: The new legislation whose provisions and implementation were the primary focus of the nationwide awareness and outreach programs.
PRARAMBH-2026: A nationwide awareness initiative launched by the Income Tax Department to facilitate the smooth implementation of new tax laws and promote stakeholder engagement.
Income Tax Department: The primary regulatory body under the Ministry of Finance responsible for conducting extensive outreach across various regions to educate taxpayers.
Kar Saathi, Kar Setu, and Samvaad: A suite of taxpayer facilitation initiatives comprising an AI-enabled chatbot, a guidance platform, and interactive learning sessions for voluntary compliance.
Pune, Thane and Kalyan: The specific geographic regions where the series of outreach programmes were organized for taxpayers, professionals, and industry representatives.
Ministry of Finance
Income Tax Department Conducts Extensive
Outreach Programmes Across Pune and Thane
Regions under PRARAMBH-2026
Posted On: 26 MAY 2026 11:32AM by PIB Mumbai
Pune, 26th May 2026
As part of the nationwide awareness initiative under PRARAMBH-2026, the Income
Tax Department conducted a series of outreach programmes across Pune, Thane
and Kalyan to spread awareness regarding the provisions of the new Income-tax Act,
2025 and facilitate its smooth and effective implementation.
The outreach programmes were organised by various charges under the Pune and
Thane Regions, including offices under Principal Commissioner of Income Tax-2,
Pune; Principal Commissioner of Income Tax-3, Pune; and Principal Commissioner
of Income Tax-1, Thane. The programmes witnessed enthusiastic participation from
taxpayers, salaried employees, Chartered Accountants, tax professionals, industry
representatives, trade associations, cooperative banks and other stakeholders.A specialised outreach programme focusing on salaried government employees was
organised on 20th May 2026 by Range-3, Pune under Principal Commissioner of
Income Tax-2, Pune at the GST Bhavan, Yerawada, Pune. More than 100 officers and
officials of the State GST Department, Government of Maharashtra participated in
the programme. The session focused on important aspects relating to taxation,
return filing, deductions, exemptions, taxpayer services and usage of the revamped
Income Tax portal. Shri Goghare, Joint Commissioner, GST (Government of
Maharashtra), appreciated the efforts of the Income Tax Department in undertaking
such a taxpayer-friendly initiative.
Another outreach programme was organised on 22nd May 2026 by Range-2, Pune
under Principal Commissioner of Income Tax-2, Pune at PMT Building, Swargate,
Pune, with a special focus on provisions relating to the Jurisdictional Assessment
Unit. More than 60 participants, including taxpayers, representatives of Chartered
Accountants’ associations and trade bodies attended the programme and
appreciated the Department’s proactive efforts towards taxpayer education and
awareness.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, an outreach programme was conducted on 22nd May 2026 by
the office of the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax-3, Pune through Range-8,
Akurdi at ICAI Bhawan, Nigdi. The programme witnessed participation from
taxpayers, Chartered Accountants, representatives of industries, Saraf Association
and stakeholders from the Pimpri-Chinchwad and Chakan industrial region. Shri
Uodal Raj Singh, Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Range-8, Pune delivered
the welcome address highlighting the importance of stakeholder awareness and
voluntary compliance.Detailed presentations on the salient features and key provisions of the new Act were
delivered by departmental officers. Shri Rishi Lodha, Chartered Accountant,
delivered the keynote guest lecture and shared practical perspectives on
implementation-related aspects of the new legislation. Representatives of ICAI
Pimpri-Chinchwad Branch and Federation of Chakan Industries also appreciated the
Department’s initiative.
The Office of the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax-1, Thane organised a major
outreach programme on 21st May 2026 at Aditya Banquet Hall, Ashar IT Park, Thane
West. The programme witnessed participation from more than 350 taxpayers and
representatives from stakeholder groups including the Thane Chamber of
Commerce, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Institute of Cost
Accountants of India, Income Tax Practitioners, Association of Jewellers, cooperative
banks and individual taxpayers.
During the programme, Shri Madhukar Anand, Joint Commissioner of Income Tax
(Audit Unit), Thane, along with Shri Vimal Punamiya and Shri Vijay Joshi, Chartered
Accountants, delivered comprehensive presentations explaining important provisions
of the new Income-tax Act, 2025. The presentations focused on aspects such as
introduction of the “Tax Year” concept, return filing framework, TDS/TCS provisions,
tax audit requirements, transitional provisions and simplification measures
introduced under the new legislation. The programme also included interactive
discussions and question-and-answer sessions addressing practical implementation
issues.
Another outreach programme under PRARAMBH-2026 was conducted on 22nd May
2026 at B.K. Birla College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Kalyan by the Office of the
Principal Commissioner of Income Tax-1, Thane.The programme witnessed participation from more than 100 taxpayers, Chartered
Accountants, tax consultants and representatives from sectors such as warehousing,
jewellery and pharmaceuticals. Detailed presentations were made on the salient
features of the new Act, taxpayer facilitation measures and compliance-related
procedures. Shri Vimal Punamiya, Chartered Accountant, also shared his insights
and appreciated the Government’s initiative towards simplification and rationalisation
of tax laws.
Across all programmes, participants were provided demonstrations of the revamped
Income Tax portal and taxpayer facilitation initiatives introduced under PRARAMBH-
2026 including Kar Saathi, an AI-enabled chatbot available round the clock on theIncome Tax website; Kar Setu, a comprehensive guidance and reference platform;
and Samvaad, interactive learning sessions designed to promote voluntary
compliance and ease of understanding of the new legislation.
The outreach initiatives form part of the Department’s larger objective under
PRARAMBH-2026 to promote awareness, transparency, stakeholder engagement
and taxpayer-centric administration in alignment with the vision of a simplified, trust-
based and technology-driven tax system. The programmes were widely appreciated
by participants and stakeholders for enhancing awareness and facilitating smoother
transition to the new Income-tax Act, 2025.
***
HarshalAkude / DineshYadav
Follow us on social media: @PIBMumbai /PIBMumbai /pibmumbai pibmumbai[at]gmail[dot]com /PIBMu
mbai /pibmumbai
(Release ID: 2265281) Visitor Counter : 102
Read this release in: Marathi