Income Tax Refunds Up Manifold in 10 Years

The time taken to process I-T refunds has come down drastically from 93 days in 2013 to 17 days in 2024

- DIPAK MONDAL @ New Delhi

INDIA'S income tax refund landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past decade. The most remarkable change for individual taxpayers has been the drastic reduction in the time taken to process refunds.

The average number of days to issue income tax refunds has plummeted by 81%, from a lengthy 93 days in 2013 to just 17 days in 2024, according to sources. This rapid acceleration in processing is a testament to the government's aggressive push towards digital infrastructure and administrative reforms.

Refunds issued to taxpayers have surged by a massive 474% between 2013-14 and 2024-25. This significant increase far outpaces the 274% growth in gross direct tax collections and the 133% expansion of the taxpayer base over the same period, signalling drastic improvements in tax administration and compliance.