Request for enhancement in IT/OE Grant for Mumbai Zone – reg.

Ref :  CESA/75 /2013

Date : 10.12.2013

Ms. Shobha L. Chari

Hon’ble  Member (P. &V.),

CBEC, North Block,

New Delhi

         

Ms. Lipika Majumdar

Hon’ble Member (Service Tax),

CBEC, North Block,

New Delhi

Respected Madam,

Sub:- Request for enhancement  in IT/OE Grant for  Mumbai Zone – reg.

          Kind attention is invited towards DGHRD’s letter F. No. 8/B/10 (171)/HRD (EMC)2013 dated 17.10.2013 under which the allocation of funds reduced under the object head Information Technology for 2013 -14, had been communicated to the Zones.

          Accordingly, CC Zone-I and Zone-II have re-allocated the grant. On going through the same it is found that the grants under the above head of account is reduced considerably. Even the Service Tax Commissionerates are not being spared from this cut in the name of austerity.

          Austerity, by any prudent authority, it does not mean just put scissor on expenditure but it also implies that we have to set our priority and utilize money on essential heads and non essential one can be deferred, till the situation is eased out.  But unfortunately, it is not so in our department. In Mumbai Zone – I & II the grant is reduced by 26 & 27 lakhs respectively. That too Rs.15 lakhs reduced outrightly (Rs.10 laksh from Service Tax I and Rs.5 lakhs from Service Tax II), when they are in need of computers and its peripherals.     

We all know that the Service sector is ever growing sector and revenue is increasing in multifold. This also known to the Board office that in Mumbai the staff posted in Service Tax is inadequate to handle the heavy work load.  Staff is squeezed from the Central Excise Commissionerates   from Zone – I Mumbai, still man power is required as the work load is not manageable.

By merely providing staff on a stop gap arrangement situation cannot be improved.  The existing sanctioned Superintendents and Inspectors do not have computers and the situation is aggravated further by bringing additional staff to the extent of 35% to 40% who do not have the space to function and even are not equipped with one to one computer, internet, printers, in the era of automation, which is really shocking.  When the staff is demanding to provide computers and printers to do the work, now the grant is reduced in the name of austerity. In the circumstances, can administration give a thought as to how the officers will work and more revenue will be mopped up? and excelled further.

In view of the above when there is need of more funds for Service Tax and the Board is having a lot of expectation from Mumbai Zone itself hence there should not be any deduction in the existing grants. On the contrary more grant / funds be made available to Service Tax Commissioenrates of Mumbai Zone so that no work is hampered for want of grants.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely

A.K. Sasmal

                                                                                                  General Secretary

Copy to :-

                1. DGHRD, CBEC, New Delhi for kind information and necessary action.

2. The Chief Commissioner of Central Excise, Mumbai Zone-I & II for  

    kind information and necessary action.

3. The Commissioner, Service Tax, Mumbai-I, Mumbai-II for kind information 

    with a request to apprise the ground reality to the authority and ask for 

    more funds to meet the exigency.