ITR Filing By Individual taxpayers Increases By 90% To 6.37 Crore In AY 2021-22

New Delhi: The filing of Income Tax Return (ITR) by individual taxpayers has registered an increase of 90% from 3.36 crore in Assessment Year (AY) 2013-14 to 6.37 crore in AY 2021-22, said the Ministry of Finance.

In the last nine years, ITR filings has shown a consistent upswing, as per the Income Tax Department's Time Series Data of Direct Taxes and Income Tax Return statistics.

"During the current fiscal too, 7.41 crore returns have been filed for AY 2023-24 till date, including 53 lakh new first time filers. This is an indication of the widening of tax base subsequent to various reform measures put in place by the Department," the Finance Ministry release said.

In the range of gross total income upto Rs. 5 lakh, the number of returns filed by individual taxpayers has increased from 2.62 crore in AY 2013-14 to 3.47 crore in AY 2021-22 registering an increase of 32%. This range of income includes individuals having income below taxable limit who may not be filing returns.

In the range of gross total income of Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh, and Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh, the number of returns filed by individual taxpayers from AY 2013-14 to AY 2021-22 has registered an increase of 295% and 291% respectively.

The proportionate contribution of gross total income of top 1% individual taxpayers vis-à-vis all individual taxpayers has decreased from 15.9% in AY 2013-14 to 14.6% in AY 2021-22. The proportionate contribution of gross total income of bottom 25% individual taxpayers vis-à-vis all individual taxpayers has increased from 8.3% in AY 2013-14 to 8.4% in AY 2021-22.

The proportion of gross total income of middle 74% group of individual taxpayers increased from 75.8% to 77% in the above period. The average gross total income for individual taxpayers increased from about Rs. 4.5 lakh in AY 2013-14 to about Rs. 7 lakh in AY 2021-22 representing an increase of 56%. The increase in average gross total income for top 1% individual taxpayers is 42% while that for bottom 25% individual taxpayers is 58%.