The government said on Wednesday that it has appointed management consultant Ernst & Young and NSE's infotech subsidiary, NSE.IT, as its technology advisors for providing online facilities to all tax payers under the "taxnet" scheme.
Also, it has notified NSDL as the e-TDS intermediary through which Tax Deduction at Source can be filed electronically.
The "taxnet" scheme was initiated by the Department of Income Tax in 1994 and seeks to create a single repository of assessees nationally to simplify both, the tax administration and collection processes.
"The successful completion of this project will mark a watershed tax administration in the country. It will go a long way in enhancing tax efficiency for both officials and the assessees," CBDT member B Swarup told newspersons in New Delhi.
He also said that from April 1 this year, personal income tax payees will have to fill only two challans against four needed previously while TDS filing can be done electronically by both companies and individuals.
Swarup said the government will also ensure that tax consultants, chartered accountants etc are allowed to act as intermediaries from April 1 this year so that personal return filing is simplified even further.