India / 117-yr-old woman in MP among 4 centenarians felicitated by I-T Dept

Indore: Four centenarian women, including one who is 117 years old, have been felicitated by the Income Tax department in Madhya Pradesh for paying their taxes regularly, an official here said on Tuesday.

In view of the COVID-19 protocols, the felicitation programme was held through video conference on Monday with officials visiting these women at their places in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to honour them.

The Income Tax department honoured Girija Bai Tiwari (117) from Bina in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, Ishwaribai Lulla (103) and Kanchan Bai (100) from Indore in the state, and Beena Rakshit (100) from Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh for paying their taxes regularly, the official said.

Asked if Girija Bai is the oldest taxpayer in the world or India, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh) A K Chauhan told PTI, I am not sure about it, but she is certainly the oldest in the two states as per the PAN card record. She is definitely one of the oldest taxpayers in the country."

Chauhan informed that Girija Bai is drawing family pension on behalf of her husband, who was the original pensioner.

The felicitation was held as part of the 160th Income Tax Foundation Day, which was celebrated on July 24.

The department has also opened two new Aaykar Sewa Kendra in Morena and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh for the convenience of taxpayers in the state, Chauhan said.