Tax collection should be smooth process with minimum discomfort to taxpayer: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday (November 25, 2025) said that the tax collection should be a smooth process with minimum discomfort to the taxpayer.

Addressing the officer trainees of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Indirect Taxes), at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Murmu asked them to create systems that are transparent, accountable, and technology-driven.

“This is the revenue that funds infrastructure, education, health, and social welfare. You are, therefore, active participants in India’s nation-building process. But, the tax collection should be a smooth process with minimum discomfort to the taxpayer,” President Murmu said.

“Please remember what Chanakya in the Arthashastra said about tax collection — ‘a Government should collect taxes like a honeybee, which collects just the right amount of honey from the flower so that both can survive’,” President Murmu said while addressing them.

President Murmu said that the recent Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms introduced on September 2025 represent a landmark step in reshaping India’s taxation system.

“These reforms are designed to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship, job creation, and affordable living. These reforms strengthen India’s vision of inclusive growth, sustainability, and empowerment of the next generation,” President Murmu said.

President Murmu asked the officers to ensure that taxation serves as a bridge of trust and fairness, and not as a barrier.

“As revenue service officer, you will perform multiple roles — as administrators, investigators, facilitators of trade, and enforcers of law. You are the sentinels of India’s economic frontiers, protecting the country against smuggling, financial fraud, and illicit trade, while simultaneously facilitating legitimate commerce and global trade partnerships,” President Murmu said.

President Murmu said that their role demands a delicate balance between enforcement and facilitation; between upholding the law and enabling economic growth.

President Murmu asked them to create systems that are transparent, accountable, and technology-driven.

“Integrity and fairness must remain the cornerstone of your professional conduct. The young officers are expected to be innovative, analytical, and technologically adept. I urge you to embrace data-driven decision-making, automation, and digital governance to make tax administration more efficient and citizen-friendly,” President Murmu said.

President Murmu also asked them to constantly upgrade their knowledge and adapt to rapid changes in global trade, technology, and economics.

“You are an important part of our ongoing journey toward making India, a developed nation by 2047. You have an integral role to play in realizing the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ by providing a stable, fair, and facilitative tax ecosystem that encourages entrepreneurship, compliance, and investment,” President Murmu added.