The Income Tax (I-T) Department has devised six points strategy to recover tax dues from corporate houses, Minister of State for Finance J D Seelam told Parliament on Friday.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Mr. Seelam also revealed that corporate houses owe a whopping Rs 2,46,416 crore in taxes to the government. In forty-five cases, corporate houses owe direct taxes of above Rs 500 crore each.

Answering a question, he wrote, "However, the amount of total corporate tax demand outstanding, as on December 31, 2013, is Rs 2,46,416 crore . there are 45 corporates cases where direct tax demand above Rs 500 crore is outstanding."

He added that apart from statutory measures, the I-T department had devised a detailed strategy for recovering the outstanding taxes. The six-point strategy includes strict monitoring of corporate houses' accounts and taking assistance of investigation wing in important cases.

During the April to December period of last year, the tax department executed a total of 3,139 search warrants against potential tax evaders and seized assets worth Rs 565.4 crore. In the whole financial year of 2012-13, the tax department executed 3,889 search warrants and seized assets worth Rs 575.08 crore.