ITD to launch new e-filing portal on June 7

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has lauded the efforts of the Armed Forces and the Indian Coast Guard for the ongoing search and rescue operations in areas affected due to Cyclone Tauktae. He commended the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard for saving the lives of people stranded at sea. He also hailed Indian Army for deploying its columns in affected areas and the Indian Air Force for transporting personnel of the National Disaster Response Force. The Defence Minister is in constant touch with Chiefs of the Naval Staff, Army Staff, Air Staff and Director General of the Indian Coast Guard.Navy and Coast Guard have deployed their sea and air assets and rescued more than 600 people from four barges off the Mumbai coast over the past few days.

-The Income Tax Department will launch its new e-filing portal www.incometax.gov.in on  June 7. The new e-filing portal is aimed at providing taxpayer convenience and a modern, seamless  experience to taxpayers. The portal is integrated with immediate processing of Income Tax Returns ITRs to issue quick refunds to taxpayers. All interactions and uploads or pending actions will be displayed on a single dashboard for follow-up action by the taxpayer. New call center for taxpayer assistance for immediate answers to taxpayer queries with FAQs, Tutorials, Videos and chatbot or live agent, all key portal functions on desktop will be available on Mobile App which will be enabled subsequently for full anytime access on mobile network. In preparation for this launch and for migration activities, the existing portal of the Department at www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in would not be available to taxpayers as well as other external stakeholders for a brief period of 6 days from June 1.The Income Tax Department said, taxpayers are encouraged to complete all their urgent tasks involving any submission, upload or downloads before June 1, 2021 to avoid any difficulty during the blackout period. 

-The former Urdu newsreader of All India Radio and recipient of SAARC Literature Award in 2014, Dr. Tarannum Riyaz passed away in New Delhi today. She was 59.A noted Urdu Novelist, short-story writer, critic and poetess, Tarannum Riyaz was suffering from COVID-19 infection and was admitted to a hospital. She was associated with Urdu Unit of All India Radio on a casual assignment basis till December 2019. She had received many national and international awards for her literary work.

-Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged people of the state to make the COVID vaccination drive a mass movement. Talking to newspersons in Guwahati on Thursday, the Chief Minister appealed to people to financially contribute to the vaccination drive. He said that government has fund for the vaccination but Mr. Sarma stressed on people's participation by financially contributing in atleast one person's vaccination. He said that 35 lakh people have been vaccinated so far in the state. Sarma said that the overall COVID situation during the last 3 days has shown a ray of hope. 

-Sports Authority of India will extend medical and accident insurance cover to more than 13,000 athletes, coaches and support staff from this year. The decision is to ensure the safety and well-being of all athletes and support staff in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The insurance cover of Rs five lakh each will be provided to all national campers, probable national campers, Khelo India athletes and junior campers training at SAI Centre of Excellence. They will also be given Rs 25 lakh cover for accident or death.  It will come into effect irrespective of the dates of a National camp even if such camps have not been in operation in some disciplines so far this year. Sports Authority of India has asked National Sporting Federations to identify the athletes and support staff for inclusion in the insurance scheme. Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said, the athletes as well as coaching and support staff assisting them to realise their potential are the biggest stakeholders of the Ministry.

-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave away the highest civilian award of Bangladesh ‘Swadhinta Puraskar 2021’ also known as Independence Award to nine individuals and a research organisation on Thursday. She handed over the award at her official residence Ganabandhan in Dhaka.The Independence Award is conferred on people or organisations for their outstanding contribution to the Liberation War of Bangladesh, Science and Technology, literature and Culture among others.The award for the year 2021 included four posthumous awards given to AKM Bazlur Rahman, Shaheed Ahsanullah Master, Brigadier General Khurshid Uddin Ahmed, and Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu for their contribution to independence and the War of Liberation. Dr. Mrinmoy Guha Neogi received the honour for his contribution to Science and Technology while Mohadeb Saha was bestowed with the award for his contribution to the field of literature. Ataur Rahman and Gazi Mazharul Anwar got the award for Culture and Prof. M Amjad Hossain for Social Work.Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council received the award in the research and training category.The award has been given since 1977. It is announced ahead of the Independence Day of Bangladesh. The recipients of the award get a gold medal and a cash reward of Taka 5 lakh.The announcement of names for the award was made in March.