Salary earners having an income of less than 5 lakhs rupees will not have to file tax returns from this year. CBDT Chairman Sudhir Chandra told reporters at the customary post-Budget press conference that the exemption from filing tax returns come into effect from the assessment year 2011-12.He added that the Form 16 issued to salaried employees will be treated as Income Tax Return. Earlier, in the day, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had proposed to exempt salaried employees from filing tax returns. According to the Memorandum to the Finance Bill 2011, the government will be issuing a notification exempting 'classes of persons' from the requirement of furnishing income tax returns.The decision, which will come into effect from June 1, 2011, will reduce the compliance burden on small taxpayers, it added. Another decision to raise tax exemption limit of very senior citizens of 80 years and above to 5 lakh rupees will benefit about 15,000 tax payers.