Current Affairs 22nd October 2017

Current Affairs 22nd October 2017 - Important Points

• Online chat service launched by - Income Tax Department
•  New Tourism policy launched by - Assam Government
• Jaipur and Srinagar Airports rated Best Airports in the World on - 17th October 2017

Current Affairs 22nd October 2017 - Details

Online chat service launched by - Income Tax Department

An online chat service for taxpayers to answer taxpayer's basic queries and doubts related to direct tax issues has been launched by Income Tax Department.
The initiative is aimed to enhance taxpayer services in the country.
A team of department experts and independent tax practitioners is deputed to answer the taxpayer's general queries.
Important Highlights

• Users can enter the chat room by giving their email-id and can also ask questions as a guest.
  The feature also gives an option to the taxpayers to email the entire chat to their email ids for the future reference.
• The chat however, comes with a precautionary note that reads, “The replies are based on the experts opinion and it should not be interpreted as the clarification by the Income-tax Department on any matter."
• Based on the feedback received by the department, more features are expected to be added.
• The IT department had set up a new dedicated directorate to monitor and resolve grievances of tax payers in 2016 within its establishment.

 New Tourism policy launched by - Assam Government

The state government of Assam launched a new Tourism policy- 'Tourism Policy of Assam 2017' on 19th October 2017 aiming to increase tourist inflow in the state two to three folds within the next five years.
While releasing the policy, the Assam Tourism Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that Tourism shall be accorded industry status in the state and all facilities and incentives applicable to industries shall be made available to Tourism industry as well.
The new policy will be effective starting from January 2018 till December 2022.
Important Highlights

• The policy was approved by the state cabinet on 17th October 2017.
• The policy paper is aimed to create a policy framework to move tourism into a major economic sector of Assam and increasing the inflow of tourists' by at least two to three folds in the next five years.
• Its main objective is to make Assam a film making destination by offering a range of incentives to movie producers to come and shoot there.
• It will also be encouraging the private sector to pro-actively participate and invest in tourist places in the tourism sector.
• A special incentive will be offered as additional 10 percent capital grant up to Rs 25 lakh for investment in remote or potential tourist destination of Assam.
• It also offers a range of financial benefits to construct approach roads and installing renewable energy sources at tourist units.
• According to data received in 2014, 45, 00,000 domestic and 20,000 foreign tourists visited Assam.

Jaipur and Srinagar Airports rated Best Airports in the World on - 17th October 2017

The Jaipur and Srinagar Airport bagged the first and second rank respectively in the category of 2-5 million passengers on 17th October 2017 in Airport Service Quality-Airport Council International survey.
Jaipur won the Best Airport in the World in the traffic volume of 2 to 5 million passengers for the second consecutive year. It had received the award in the same category in 2016 also.
The awards were presented during the 27th ACI Africa/world annual general assembly, conference and exhibition at Port Louis in Mauritius.
Airports Authority of India Chairman, Guruprasad Mohapatra and member operations I N Murthy were gladly received the award.