PANAJI
It was an unprecedented exercise for the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman as records from over 200 churches, chapels and institutions were compiled in record time to be submitted to the Income Tax department on Monday, in response to two I-T notices served on church authorities.
Asked to submit the required details by November 21, the same day it received the two notices, the Archdiocese was given only a week's extension to furnish details on cash books and cash in hand from all churches and institutions.
The Archdiocese took up the challenge and completed the huge exercise within six days.
“We took up this challenge not only to prove that we are a law-abiding institution, but also to show that the Archdiocese has an effective system in place,” said Diocesan Financial Administrator Fr Valerian Vaz, while speaking to The Goan.
“It was a mammoth exercise, but we have fully complied with all requirements put forth by the I-T department in both its notices and these details will be submitted on Monday.”
TWO I-T NOTICES
The Archdiocese had, in fact, received two I-T notices on November 21 seeking identical details from the church's two distinct entities.
Explaining the two entities, Fr Vaz said: “The Central Fund of Archdiocese of Goa and Daman (CFAGD) deals with accounts of various diocesan centres, Mass intentions and special collections from churches for specific purposes. The Financial Reorganisation of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman (FRAGD) is a separate entity which deals with general collections for the maintenance and upkeep of church institutions, honorarium to clergy, etc.”
“Both these financial bodies were sent I-T notices dated November 18, which we received on November 21,” he added.
UNFAIR URGENCY
Admitting that I-T officials were within their right to seek details, church authorities were, however, dismayed over the manner in which I-T notices were served on them.
“Why were we given such short notice and where was the need for such urgency? Were we not entitled to a reasonable time-period to collect, compile and submit all these details from so many of our churches and institutions in Goa and Daman?” asked Fr Vaz.
“To post a letter dated November 18, which included a weekend in transit, and expect us to comply by November 21 was unrealistic. It was completely unfair as they (I-T) left us with virtually no time to submit our details, as the notices reached us on the very day of our deadline. It looks like the I-T department considers everyone as guilty, until proven innocent. But we do not want to appear as if we were defending ourselves, especially since the Archdiocese is an organised, structured, methodical and systematic institution,” the church official added.
EXTENSION SOUGHT
Church officials contacted I-T officials on November 22, expressing their inability to comply with their impractical deadline of November 21 to furnish the required details.
“We explained to them that these records had to be collected and compiled from over 200 churches, chapels and institutions located all over Goa and Daman. Accepting our request for an extension, the I-T official allowed us to submit our details by November 28,” said Fr Vaz.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Wasting no time, church officials swiftly contacted all its churches and institutions, requesting them to submit their records urgently to the Archbishop's House.
“Since this was a new exercise, some parishes needed assistance in submitting their records in formats specified by the I-T department,” the senior priest explained.
The response was swift and unprecedented.
“I am really pleased that all our priests in churches, chapels and institutions in the Archdiocese worked hard to submit their details to the Archbishop's House. They could do it in quick time since all details were already available with them in the first place. What also helped us collect details quickly was the fact that we had recently streamlined our records in churches, to ensure that churches follow a common methodology and submit a common register of records to us,” informed Fr Vaz.
