Many people who filed their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) this year are still waiting for their refunds. The Income Tax Department (ITD) is working on it, but the process has become slower than expected.
However, there’s also some good news — some taxpayers are getting extra money along with their refund! Let’s understand what’s going on.
📊 How Many Returns Have Been Processed So Far?
The government recently shared new numbers about ITR processing:
Total ITRs filed: About 7.7 crore people have filed their returns.
E-verified ITRs: Around 7.26 crore people have verified their returns.
Processed ITRs: The Central Processing Centre (CPC) has processed around 6.21 crore returns so far.
Most of the people whose returns are already processed have received their refunds.
🕐 Why Are Refunds Taking So Long?
The main reason for the delay is slow processing. On some days, the department processes lakhs of returns, but on others, it drops to just a few thousand.
On the latest update day, only 2,347 returns were processed — which is very low.
Here’s what this means:
About 1.05 crore returns are still pending.
If this slow speed continues, it may take more than 50 days to finish all refunds.
Experts say that the department might be working more on ITR-2 and ITR-3 forms now, which take more time to check compared to simpler forms like ITR-1.
💰 The Good News: Some People Are Getting Extra Money!
Now, here’s the happy part.
Some taxpayers are getting ₹5,000–₹6,000 extra along with their refund.
Why Are They Getting Extra Money?
This “extra” amount is not a bonus — it’s interest paid by the Income Tax Department because of the delay.
If your refund was due months ago (for example, if you filed in June or July) and the payment got delayed, the department must pay you interest for the waiting time.
This interest is paid under a rule called Section 244A of the Income Tax Act. It’s basically a way of saying, “Sorry for the delay — here’s the interest for your money we held.”
🔄 The Department Is Now Processing All Types of Returns
The good news doesn’t end there! The ITD has now started working on all kinds of returns —
ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3, and ITR-4.
So, whether you filed early or late, and whether your refund is small or large, your turn will come soon. Even people who filed revised returns can expect movement soon.
So don’t panic — the refunds are coming, just slowly.
✅ What You Should Do Right Now
While waiting, you can do a few things to stay updated:
Check your refund status: Log in to www.incometax.gov.in
→ Go to “View Filed Returns.”
Make sure your bank details are correct: Your refund will only come to a pre-validated bank account.
Avoid filing multiple complaints: The system works in batches; too many complaints won’t make it faster.
Check if you received interest: When the refund comes, look at the total — you might see a little extra!
🌟 In Short
Yes, the refund process is slow this year — but don’t worry. Your refund is safe and on its way.
And if you’ve waited longer, you might actually get a small reward — extra interest money for the delay.
As the saying goes, “Der āye, savērā āye” — better late than never!
