Saturday, February 28, 2015

CENTRAL EXCISE DAY FUNCTION AT NATIONAL MUSEUM, NEW DELHI.

On the eve of Excise day a function was held at the Auditorium. National Museum, Janpath, New Delhi on 24th February, 2015 Shri Jayant Sinha, MOS Revenue was the Chief Guest and Shri Shaktikant Das, Revenue Secretary was the Guest of Honor CBEC Chairman Shri Kaushal Shrivastav who chaired the  function alongwith Member CBEC Shri S. B. Singh and Ms. Jaikumari Chander.  Invitees  from the trade staff present and retired and meritorious officers of CBEC around Forty officers were nominated.  Apart from other parts following officers from Mumbai Zone were nominated for commendation.  
1.    Ms P Sharda Rao, Superintendent, Confidential Section , Mumbai Zone
2.    Shri Ganesh Moholkar, Superintendent,  Service Tax Audit-I
3.    Shri P. A. Vincent, Superintendent, LTU (Audit)

4.    Shri Deepak M. Parab, Havaldar, Confidential Section, Mumbai-I 

Friday, February 27, 2015

NO MORE CENTRAL EXCISE DAY – GST IS COMING

            On the occasion of Central Excise day at a function held at Birla Matoshree Auditorium at Marine Lines, Mumbai, Mr Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, graced the occasion and delivered his speech expressed his happiness and greeted the entire fraternity on the occasion.  He said that in future there will be no Central Excise Day, it is the last such function because the tax regime will change and GST will come into existence in 2016.  For bonding between Centre and State and effective administration the organizers, in anticipation, had invited him. 
            Mumbai, contributes nearly 12 per cent of the Central Excise revenue and one third of the country's Service Tax revenue, and the Chief Minister believes that after the Implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST), the revenue through tax collec­tion will increase.
            The Chief Minister has also emphasized the need for cooperation between the Centre and the states to ensure a smooth transition to GST, the implementation of which has been proposed for April 2016.
            The Chief Minister reminded the gathering that when value-added tax (VAT) had been introduced, some states opposed it, anticipating revenue collec­tion losses. However, every­body accepted it later.
            "Now, the Central govern­ment is planning to imple­ment GST from April 2016, it will definitely be benefi­cial for both state and traders," Mr Fadnavis said.

            Recalling his Davos tour for the International Investment Summit, Mr Fadnavis said, "Global investors are opting for India for investment. For that we must have a firm and easy tax system and investment friendly atmos­phere." He emphasized on the need for cooperation between the Centre and the states to ensure smooth transition to GST, saying that GST would strengthen cooperative federalism.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

IF I WERE FINANCE MINISTER


I feel now every housewife should help the finance minister prepare the budget

==

No, that is not what my job is. I know finance ministers are never praised. Even for rights they are criticized and for wrongs lambasted. In reality, I feel that most finance ministers don’t understand the bureaucratic statistical jugglery. I too.

I feel now every housewife should help the finance minister prepare the budget. I have heard that wives of many finance ministers, including of Manmohan Singh, were unhappy with the budgets presented by their husbands.

I told my wife Anju, to help me in that process. She said: “Please stop doing that. Except bringing lots of raddi, Budget has not ever helped me”. That’s brusque for an onerous job that fills half the newspaper and television news time through the year. Are they all producing raddis? The Budget has no sanctity. My better half says, “It has only one sanctity. After each Budget, problems go up, processes become complicated and prices of commodities rise. After a Budget I buy less than what I bought for the last one year”.

Should the government then stop making the budget, I ask. She says, “No. Its ingredients remain the same. Why don’t you standardize to bring out the budgetary statement in an automatic fashion.” How is it possible?

She brings some old budget papers without the cover and asks, “Tell me which year’s Budget these are?” I can’t make out. Figures look so similar. The style has not changed and every Budget claims better days – ache din ayenge. My wife knows better than me that she was happier when salary and income was far less than what I, my son or daughter has today. I agree.

But she throws up a challenge. “You claim to know so much about the budget. You have been the worst critics of finance ministers. Why don’t you prepare one for me? At least prove me wrong”. She even threatened like the tax man: “If you don’t, I will stop preparing food for the family”.

Having suffered under the hands of fnance ministers, and having starved often, I didn’t want the children to suffer. With a glum face, that is how I have seen most finance ministers, I sit down to prepare the onerous national duty.

I write: I shall abolish income-tax: She asked me why? I told her at least I can buy my lunch, which I often forgo. It would also save me from taking loans at high interest to pay for my granddaughter’s primary education. She was furious. “Do you want the government to starve”, she asked like a capitalist-communist. I feebly explain: “The government wouldn’t be a bit poorer. Of course, many tax officers would lose a lot–their jam and butter. The government could do well to sack at least two-thirds of them and save over Rs 2 lakh crore – more than Rs 1.75lakh crore that I-T brings. It would also save lakhs of people harassment, despite having paid what they could”. She agrees, but adds: “Why should the I-T officer and his gang agree. You don’t know the dynamics of dealings”. I said, “You are right, but Prime Minister wants a clean India and I want to help him”.

Abolish tax deducted at source on bank deposit: Anju said, “That is sensible. I have lost much. But I can somehow bear it. But do you know my maid complained she lost sums for keeping her money in the bank. I have advised her not to do it again”. This was my turn to be furious: “You have done great disservice to the nation. If people won’t put money in banks where would the government get money to borrow and run the administration? Most government servants would not get their salary either”. Cursing me she said, “Government should be honest and shouldn’t loot poor man’s money”. She was making sense.

End Education cess: I tell her, the government is charging cess too for education. But do you know the education shops have been sold to private looters, sorry educators. They are bleeding us. Why should I pay this cess? She said, “You are right. My father used to say that schooling was so affordable and quality was good. If the Government can’t do its duty, why should it levy any charge?”

Make agriculture fundamental of economy: Anju disagreed. “You would remain in the medieval ages. I know how zamindars in my village used to look down upon the kisans. They are rustics, don’t understand. If their land is used for industry so many jobs can be created and they could live like babus”. This was a bit too much for someone, who was steeped in Gandhism, as is our Prime Minister. I replied: “If kisan wouldn’t till the land, where would you get your basmati rice, MP Sona wheat, the delicious fruits and vegetables, which you love the most. Do you know over 75crore people of the 125crore population still subsist on farming? No industry can give kisans jobs. If the kisan doesn’t do farming, no industry would give a job to turn him into a babu. He would come to the city with a begging bowl. Would you like that?” She says, “You are right”.

(Courtesy : Orissa Post of February 25, 2015)


Tuesday, February 24, 2015

CELEBRATION OF CENTRAL EXCISE DAY AT MUMBAI.




CELEBRATION OF EXCISE DAY IS SCHEDULED AT BIRLA MATRUSHREE AUDITORIUM ON 24TH FEBRUARY 2015. 
Hon’ble CHIEF MINISTER OF MAHARASHTRA WILL BE THE CHIEF GUEST & MS. ARUNDATTI  BATTACHARYA, CMD, SBI, WILL BE GUEST OF HONOUR UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE CHIEF COMMISSIONERS, SHRI. V. S. KRISHNAN AND MS. ARUSHA VASUDEVAN.  FOLLOWED WITH MUSICAL ORCHESTRA AND GUEST APPEARANCE OF SEVERAL CELEBRITIES OF THE FILM INDUSTRY. 
APART FROM THE ABOVE,  MERITORIOUS WARDS OF THE STAFF WILL ALSO BE FALICITATED FOLLOWED WITH OUR STAFF WHO HAVE EXCELLED DURING THIS YEAR.  THEY ARE :
PRESIDENTIAL AWARD WINNERS
1. Shri Gavin D'Mello, Superintendent
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1. Dr. K. M. Soni, Chief Engineer, CPWD, West Zone-I, Mumbai
2. Shri Ravi Barapatre, Sr. Accountant, P.A.O., C.Ex, M-I
OFFICERS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF MERITORIOUS OFFICERS / STAFF
3.Shri Nitin Gaikwad,  Superintendent, PCCO, C.Ex., MZ-I
4. Shri Vivek Mukund,  Superintendent, CCO, S. Tax, Mumbai Zone.
5. Shri Dhanpal Meena, Superintendent, C.Ex., M-I
6. Shri Haresh Gangaramani, Superintendent, C.Ex., M-I.
7. Shri Balwant T Ajagekar, Superintendent, C.Ex. M-IV
8. Shri Vikram Kulkarni, Superintendent, C.Ex, Thane-II
9. Shri S.D. Sharma, Superintendent, C.Ex, Thane-II
10. Smt. Marykutty Mathew, Superintendent, S. Tax Audit-I
11. Shri P.P. Janardhanan, Superintendent, S. Tax-VI
12. Shri P. A. Vincent, Superintendent, LTU Audit
13. Smt. Jolly Verghese, Superintendent, LTU Mumbai
14. Shri Chetan M. More, Superintendent, C.Ex., MZ-II
15. Shri J.G. Shende, Superintendent, C.Ex., M-III
16. Smt. Kavita S. Lobo, Superintendent, C.Ex.,Belapur
17. Shri Sandeep Kudi, Superintendent, C.Ex.,Belapur
18. Shri Manish S. Chowdhury, Superintendent, C.Ex.,Raigad
19. Shri G. Abraham, Superintendent, C.Ex.,Raigad
20. Shri H. S. Chawla, Superintendent, C.Ex., Mumbai-IV
21. Shri Anil Thakare, Inspector, PCCO, C.Ex., MZ-I
22. Shri Charan Balwant Dungardan, Inspector, PRO, C.Ex., M-I
23. Shri Shailendra Thukrul, Inspector,S. Tax-II
24. Smt. Shivagami Sathyanarayanan, D.O.S., C.Ex. M-II
25. Shri Prem Singh, Stenographer,S. Tax-I
26. Shri Sanjay Narkar, Hawaldar, S.Tax-V
27. Shri R. J. Mirza,Hawaldar, C.Ex., M-III
OFFICERS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS AND OTHER FIELDS.
1) Shri Sanjeev Mehra, Superintendent, S.Tax Audit-III
2) Smt. Minoti Prasad, Superintendent, C.Ex., Mumbai-V
3) Smt. Meenakshi Salvi, Superintendent, C.Ex., Raigad
4) Smt. Nadiya Shaikh, Inspector, Cus (Prev.), M&P Wing
5) Shri Viral Shah, Inspector, C.Ex., Mumbai-I
6) Shri S.R. Dontulla, Hawaldar, C. Ex., Mumbai-V

DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMME FOLLOWS:

Monday, February 16, 2015

DEAR FM YOU CAN GIVE A REAL GIFT, NOT MERE MESSAGE, ON THE EVE OF EXCISE DAY


            Ref: CESA/09/2015
Date: 13.02.2015.

Shri Arun Jaitley,
Hon’ble Finance Minister,
Govt. of India., New Delhi

Respected Sir,

            Sub: - Request for redressal of various pressing issues before celebration of
                        Central Excise Day  – reg.


            The entire department of CBEC will celebrate 71st Central Excise Day all over India.  It has started its celebration observing 24th Feb as Central Excise day since 1994 with an intention to strengthen the belongingness of different cadres within the Department and to honour the officers who have excelled in their performance.
            Sir, recently the Reorganization of the Commissionerates and Cadre Restructuring has taken place, with an intention for effective control on tax collection and plug in leakage of revenue and career progressions of all the Cadres.  The time has come to introspect whether we have succeeded in this exercise.  As far as Career progression is concerned, those who have been promoted definitely will say yes and those who are not will say no.  The promotion gap in the Group B cadre has not declined rather in the feeder cadre of Group B Central Excise, it has widened further.  But Sir, with respect to infrastructure, Mumbai needs an additional 5 lakh sq.ft. and as on date it has been able to  acquire only about 1 lakh sq.ft. and for the remaining space, who knows how much time it will take, apart from the acute shortage of residential staff quarters.  On the eve of Excise day it is customary to issue a message/press note by the concerned Minister, Revenue Secretary and CBEC to motivate the staff.  If you will review all the messages that had been issued in the past years, stress had been laid on Revenue, its Target, Automation and Simplification of procedures etc.  Nothing is new apart from the above.  
            CESA’s only concern is about the ground reality prevailing in the commercial capital i.e Mumbai, whose contribution to the exchequer in the current FY is around 33% in Service Tax collection, 16% in Excise collection, totaling over Rs. 70,000 Crores (upto Jan-2015).  Amount allocated to Mumbai for expenditure in Central Excise & Service Tax is approx Rs. 283 Crores in the current FY (expenditure is 0.4% of the amount collected from Mumbai).  But the ground reality in the new Commissionerates of Service Tax which has started functioning, as and where basis since November 2014, i.e Service Tax I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, Service Tax Audit I, II, III and LTU Audit and Central Excise Audit I, II and III, is not so rosy.  No funds are available for medical claims, LTC claims, legal expenditures, OE expenditures.  CESA feels ashamed that we do not have money even to pay the recurring electricity and telephone bills on a regular basis. 
Officers are being promoted with an intention, that the promotion will increase their output, but how ?  They do not have even a table and chair (as there is no office space) computers and printers.  Then how will they perform ?  It is disgusting to share the chair (like a game of musical chairs) and standing in queue (like in front of public toilets) for using computers, forget about showing hospitality to the tax payers who visit our offices. 
            Sir, it is therefore requested that on this Excise Day, we, the staff of Central Excise hope and expect some change and instead of rituals, something positive will be done, which our Hon’ble PM is striving to deliver, to make it an event for staff to translate the letter and spirit of the Department and not merely make do with functions or photo opportunities for the sake of records.
            This Association therefore suggests and request your goodself to :-
A.    Clear all the proposals for infrastructure on fast track basis with single window clearance (as is envisaged for the industry and foreign investment) and to ensure that all the offices of Service Tax and Central Excise and Audit Commissionerates have their own premises. 
B.    Hold the DPC for promotion of Group ‘B’ Superintendents’ to Group A as Assistant Commissioner for the posts lying vacant and issue the Order before the end of this month.
C.   Filling up of all vacant posts in the cadre of Inspectors, Ministerial staff, Sepoys etc for smooth functioning. 
D.   Release funds under all heads to clear the pending bills and make available sufficient funds to pay the recurring electricity and telephone bills, municipality taxes, office rent, so that officers do not have to beg before the State machinery and landlords for extension of time for making the overdue payments. When the Department is strict with tax defaulters, should the officers of the Department cut a sorry figure and face humiliation on this account ? 
E.    Disposal of vigilance files where officers are humiliated for years together, particularly in cases where there is no revenue involvement and the officers had acted with bonafide intention without any ulterior motives or benefits.
F.    Reward should be granted to the officers of Central Excise & Service Tax, along the same procedure as followed in Customs, as the rate of detection of cases of evasion of Service Tax are increasing day by day.                                                                                               
G.   Austerity measures should not jeopardize the functioning of anti-smuggling formations like Marine & Preventive (M&P), Customs (Preventive) etc. Sufficient number of vehicles should be allowed to be procured without any bar.
            Sir, these above concerns are very pressing in a city like Mumbai, which gives maximum revenue to the exchequer and restrictions like austerity or lopsided allocation of funds to a premier city like Mumbai will severely dent the ability of the Department to stand on its own.
We look forward to your goodself, being head of our family, to intervene and act upon in these regards, which will, definitely, in the long run, will be a true gift on Excise Day to the staff as well as to the Trade.
            Thanking You,
                                                                                                                           Yours sincerely,

          (A.K.SASMAL)
GENERAL SECRETARY

Copy to :
1)    Shri Jayant Sinha, Hon’ble Minister of State for Finance, kind information and with a request to intervene and direct the department, please.
2)  Shri Kaushal Srivastava, Hon’ble Chairman, CBEC for information and necessary action please.
3) Smt. Joy Kumari Chander, Hon’ble Member(P&V), CBEC. for information and necessary action please
      4)    Smt. Neerja Shah, DG(HRD), CBEC, New Delhi, for information and necessary action               please. 

Friday, February 13, 2015

NON-STOP HUMILIATION STILL GOES ON


Ref: CESA/08/2015
Date: 13.02.2015.

Shri. D K Srinivas,
Hon’ble Commissioner,
Customs (Preventive)
Mumbai.

            Sub:   Request for cancellation of Estt. Order No. 04/2014 dated 09.02.2015
                        – Reg.

Respected Sir,

            It is brought to our notice that the Inspectors under order of promotion to Superintendents are transferred vide the above mentioned Estt Order.  The Inspectors who are after promotions were being kept arbitrarily and were not relieved from M & P Establishment to join their new assignment as ordered by the Cadre Controlling Commissioner of Mumbai Zone. 
            On going through the said order, it was noticed that it was highly derogatory and confusing that who made these 18 officers promotions as insitu.  No sub-ordinate officers can change the manner of promotion as they are not authorized by any Rules. 
            All the 18 officers are embarrassed and feel humiliated.  Hence kindly cancel the above Esstt Order in toto and relieve all the officers from M & P to join their new postings and taste their promotions. If any officer has already been relieved, status quo may be maintained and they be relieved from M & P to Service Tax / Central Excise as per their promotion order.
            Thanking you,
Yours Sincerely,

(A.K.SASMAL)
General Secretary
Copy to :

Hon’ble Chief Commissioner, Cadre Controlling Authority, Mumbai Zone, for kind information and also with a request to implement the promotion order and impress upon M & P Administration not to underutilize and humiliate the staff and relieve the staff under order of promotions from M & P.  

FILL THE GAP-HOLD THE DPC-MAKE EMPANELMENT


Ref: CESA/07/2015
Date: 13.02.2015.
Shri Kaushal Srivastav,
Hon’ble Chairman, CBEC,
North Block,
New Delhi.

            Sub:    Request for holding DPC from Group B to Group A and
                        preparation of panel for anticipated vacancy for the
                        year 2014 -15 & 2015 -16 – Reg.

Respected Sir,

            The then Chairperson, as assured, implemented the CR overcoming all odds. 
            All the Cadres expressed their happiness for the same.  Thereafter the expectations of all the Cadres are high, on all counts, whether it is infrastructure or subsequent promotions or stopping of adhocism of giving multiple charges to an officer etc.
            The momentum gained with that, appears to be lost since then as the progress in that direction is not visible as expected.  We are fully aware that the Board is functioning with one member alongwith yourself. But many of the officers in Group B Cadre are retiring and continue retiring with only one promotion inspite of the fact that posts are available and lying vacant.
The last promotion/posting order was issued on 31.10.2014.  Thereafter around 96 numbers of Central Excise officers and 10 Customs Superintendents have retired on Superannuation upto Jan. 2015.  There are also some irregularities and infirmities in the data of the eligible officers due for promotion due to which some of the officers who could have got promoted in the last Order itself but remained to get so.  In this count for no fault of the individual officers having eligibility are languishing still in the same Cadre or retiring with just one promotion. It was also noticed in the last Order that the names of officers who have taken VRS or left the department for other reasons their names were included in the eligible officers list and named in the promotion order.

            CESA, therefore requests to issue the Promotion Order, at least in respect of the officers whose names have not appeared for one or the other reason, as well as, in respect of the vacancy arised due to retirement or VRS etc. Further as per guidelines of DOP & T empanelling the eligible officers for anticipated promotion in the coming period of 2014 -15 & 2015-16 be kept ready for issuance of Orders as and when post falls vacant.There may not be any difficulty in doing so as the names of earlier DPC will be available with DGHRD who were in consideration Zone.
It is possible, if your goodself will kindly intervene and give specific instructions to release the posts for promotion, which are lying vacant, as on date.  It is also requested to instruct that the posts falling vacant and arising out of the superannuation of officers from Central Excise side be filled in only by the officers from the Central Excise Cadre only, so that the imbalance in the feeder cadre will not be aggravated further.
Sir, we all are expecting an early action in the matter.

            Thanking you,
Yours Sincerely,

(A.K.SASMAL)
General Secretary
Copy to :
1.    Ms. Joykumari Chander, Hon’ble Member (P & V), CBEC, New Delhi, for kind information and also with a request to release the posts and issue the promotion order at the earliest.
Ms. Neerja Shah, Hon’ble DGHRD, New Delhi, for kind information and also with a request to release the posts and issue the promotion order at the earliest.

Monday, February 2, 2015

Appointment on Compassionate Grounds

                                                                                                               Ref : CESA/05/2015
                                                                                                               Date : 30.01.2015.
Shri. V. S. KRISHNAN
Chief Commissioner,
Central Excise & Service Tax,
Mumbai Zone, Mumbai

Respected Sir,

            Sub: - Appointment on Compassionate Grounds – reg.

            As, we all are aware, many of officers have expired and their surviving family members are approaching for employment on compassionate grounds but due to various constraints, all such cases have not been considered and are pending with the Administration.

            In the past, the Ministry has considered the hardship of the officers’ family and issued directives to the Cadre Controlling Authorities to give appointment to the eligible family member of the deceased.  But on some pretext or the other the applications have been either not considered or rejected in a perfunctory manner by lower level officers themselves or not been forwarded to the Authority competent to take a sympathetic look and provide relief.

            The Group D (presently classified under Group C) cadre is a link between the field offices and these officers are instrumental in our day to day working so obviously it leaves a void and their importance is felt when we don’t have these officers in offices.
With this concern this Association invites your kind attention towards Ministry’s letter F. No. 12018/01/2014. AD. III. B. dated 18.02.2014 on the above subject matter clarifying the position for recruitment in such cases under the existing recruitment rules till it is repealed. This is apart from other instructions and relaxation given to the authority in such matters.

            In the light of above said instruction it is requested that all such pending cases be considered in all the formation including M & P.  Being the Cadre Controlling Authority of Mumbai Zone, CESA requests you to kindly intervene and instruct your good office to fill up the existing vacancies on compassionate ground with and eligible candidates.

            For this act of your kindness, many family will be benefitted and have no words for this benevolent service.   

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,



A.K. SASMAL

General Secretary