<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) today said, more than  70,000 crore rupees of refunds have been issued to the taxpayers as a result of the special drive and expeditious processing of returns involving claim of refunds. CBDT in a statement said, nearly all refund claims pending as on June-end has been processed.</span></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''The Income Tax Department had observed a dedicated fortnight from June 1-15, which was later extended to June 30 in certain regions, to expeditiously clear pending matters of appeal effect and rectification.More than 20,000 such matters were disposed of and refunds were issued to the taxpayers, wherever due.</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />''</span>The CBDT said large amounts of refunds have also been issued consequent to processing of income-tax returns.</div>