Receiving intimations U/s 143(1) but NOT refund

Many taxpayers are receiving income tax intimations under Section 143(1) promptly after filing their returns, but are not receiving their expected refunds. Previously, these intimations included refund sequence numbers, which are now absent. This raises questions about administrative efficiency and potential delays in communication between the Income Tax Department and the State Bank of India, possibly exacerbated by workload and remote working conditions during the pandemic.