Now, check your income tax refund status online

You have filed your income tax returns for the year and are eagerly awaiting your refund. Very often this wait could get quite painful. Weeks pass by, and tax payers are seldom aware of the status of their ITR, and as to when their refund would be sent to them.

To solve such concerns, the Income Tax department has introduced online availability of information regarding one's tax refund. With the

The Refund Banker Scheme

Titled the Refund Banker Scheme, the TIN-NSDL web site provides income tax refund status from assessment year 1998-99 to 2010-11.

Currently this scheme is restricted to non-corporate tax assessees in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Ahmadabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Patna, Cochin, Trivandrum, Chandigarh, Allahabad, and Kanpur, but should be extended to other cities soon.

The whole refund process would be handled by State Bank of India.

Checking your refund status online

Here is how you go about it.

• Log in to the NSDL web site https://tin.tin.nsdl.com/oltas/refundstatuslogin.html
• Enter your Permanent Account Number (PAN) in the available box. Choose the assessment year for which you desire to know the status and then

Modes of income tax refund payment

Under the Refund Banker Scheme, there are two options to receive the income tax refund, either by way of ECS or through post.

For all ECS mode of payment, refund would be directly credited into the bank account. Thus, it is vital to provide accurate details of bank account number, bank name, branch, IFSC and MICR code, at the time of filing IT returns.

If such details are not provided with accurately, a cheque would be sent by State Bank of India.

What do I do if I do not receive the tax refund?

If you haven't received your tax refund, within a maximum of one year from the date of filing the tax return, you could visit the tax department's office for the follow up of the refund, or send a grievance letter addressed to the concerned Income Tax Assessing Officer, with the copy of the tax return acknowledgement.

For severe delays, a letter could be addressed to the Jurisdictional Chief Commissioner of the Income Tax, with a copy to the Grievance Cell and the concerned Income Tax Officer. Attach copies of any previous letters which may have been written to the Income Tax Assessing Officer, along with a copy of the tax return filed.

Keep in mind...

• Refund status can be viewed only if you have received an acknowledgement from the IT department of having received the ITR form.
• Before logging in with your PAN details, check if you are using the secure NSDL web site. The NSDL web site is encrypted and authenticated by Entrust.net.
• Check for this secure sign before logging in. You are also recommended to close the browser immediately after you finish checking your tax refund status.