On 22-June-2016, the 1st
JCM in Service Tax Zone was held by ST-IV Commissionerate, which was initiated
by Shri M. R. R. Reddy. The Points taken up in the JCM are as under :-
1.
Issuance of a copy of Service Book to all
officers.
2.
Verification of Service on completion of 18
years.
3.
ACES be made fully functional and to ensure that
all Modules including the SCN module, etc. are operational to save time in
preparation to finalisation and serving of SCN to assessee.
4.
Providing of desktop computer to each officer
with LAN and WAN facility.
5.
Providing of supporting staff to all
officers.
6.
Improvement of Canteen facility.
7.
In-house training facility for newly joined
staff / staff new to Service Tax.
Apart from the above, the
Commissioner agreed to conduct yoga classes for staff to relieve stress and other recreation
facilities along-with library facilities with computers. He also urged the
association to convey to all the staff members to be punctual in attending office
as well as to be responsible in discharging all the official responsibilities.
He also mentioned that if any officer is facing any issues (official, personal
or medical), he/she is free to approach the Commissioner for his help/guidance
and to make the office a cordial & friendly place to work. He also agreed
to impart in-house training to the newly posted staff in Service Tax to excel
further. CESA-Mumbai feel proud to work under such officers, who is not only
dedicated but also friendly & approachable and stands-by the officer during
their time of crisis as an elderly member of the family. He himself is an
institution and the staff who have worked under him hold him in high regard. There may be several senior officers who are well versed with Service Tax matters, but very few of them may be able to reach the calibre and human touch of Shri Reddy sir. He is indeed a very rare officer in the current scenario.
In continuation, CESA-Mumbai
is annexing a communication made to the Revenue Secretary, which is annexed,
for kind information.
Ref:
CESA/19/2016
Date:
14-Jun-2016.
To,
Dr. Hasmukh Adhia,
Secretary of Revenue,
Ministry of Finance,
New Delhi,
Sub: Request
for providing office accommodation of the society in event of vacating the
Madhu Industrial Estate Premises and Shifting somewhere else – Reg.
Ref.: Letter from
C.Ex. Credit Society bearing No. Soc/App./446/2016
dated 04-Jun-2016.
Respected Sir,
Kind attention is invited
to the above referred letter sent by the Chief Executive of Credit Co-operative
society of Central Excise, Mumbai seeking space for the Co-operative society at
the same time leveling allegation against Shri M. R. R. Reddy, Commissioner of
Service Tax-IV, Mumbai ST-Audit-I & II.
2 CESA-Mumbai have since long strived
a lot to improve the Department’s infrastructure, for acquiring various offices
for our office accommodation and the administration of Mumbai has played a very
positive role in this regard. Amongst the various officers, the contribution of
Shri M. R. R. Reddy, Commissioner ST-IV for improving infrastructure is
appreciable. Apart from this, his dedication and contributions towards the body
of knowledge in Mumbai Service Tax is exemplary.
3. To appraise you about the background of
the above mentioned letter and issue, it is brought to your kind notice that
Central Excise office (around 6 Divisions) of Mumbai-I Commissionerate were
situated at 2nd floor, Madhu Industrial estate, P.B.Marg, Worli,
Mumbai-18. Due to space crunch at the Old-Customs House, the Credit society
office, which was operating from there, was also shifted to the Madhu
Industrial Estate premises. Further,
on creation of new Service Tax Commissionerates, the Central Excise officers
posted in the said Commissionerates were also accommodated in the said premises
in an as-per-need basis, which led to the officers sitting in a very cramped
condition.
4. In the year 2014, due to the Cadre
Restructuring and creation of several new Service Tax Commissionerates, it
became very difficult to accommodate all the offices in the said premises.
Further, this premise is situated around 1.5 Km from the nearest railway
station (Parel & Elphinstone Rd.) causing great inconvenience during the
evening peak hours, due to non-availability of public transport facilities.
5. Since 2010, Shri M. R. R. Reddy was
posted as Additional Commissioner in Mumbai Service Tax-I Commissionerate. In
addition to being in-charge of Division-III, he was also in-charge of the Audit
Section. He was the one who changed the very outlook of Service Tax
Commissionerates and to look for the welfare of the staff. The lack of proper
seating space as well as basic amenities in Madhu Industrial Estate is well known.
Earlier, one of the Divisions of Central Excise Commissionerate Mumbai–I was
the caretaker of the premises at Madhu Indl. Estate, till 2012. Thereafter, as
the strength of ST formations increased in Madhu Indl. Estate, Service Tax-I
Commissionerate was made the caretaker in the year 2013-14, even though the
agreement was earlier signed by a Division of Central Excise Mumbai-I
Commissionerate.
6. The premises of Madhu Industrial Estate
was taken on rent by the Central Excise Department in the year 1978, for
housing the Divisional offices of Mumbai-I Commissionerate. The premises at
Madhu Industrial estate, as the name itself suggests, was an industrial estate
to accommodate small scale manufacturing units. In fact the ground and First
floor of it was used by several small scale manufactures to manufacture the
goods or was used as a warehouse. There are many stakeholders (more than 25)
who are the owners of premises at Madhu Industrial Estate, which are in
possession of the Department. There is no unity and unanimity among these
stakeholders and due to this reason, they never bothered to carry out minor
repairs or any renovations and allowed the condition of the premises to
deteriorate. Not only this, they never allowed the Department also to carry out
any repairs or renovations. Whenever they were invited for talks for extension
of the rent contract and increase in other amenities like parking spaces, they
were not supportive and cooperative, but rather quarrelsome (among themselves),
having a litigative mentality, which finally compelled the Department to take a
decision to surrender the premises when the chances of any improvement in
relations with the stakeholders were very bleak. The officers posted at Madhu
Industrial Estate suffered a lot due to the non-co-operative attitude of the
stakeholders and in the interest of not further de-motivating the officers took
the final call of surrendering the premises at Madhu Industrial Estate to a
better place which has much better facilities and amenities.
7. Shri M. R. R. Reddy took initiative along
with Shri Sushil Solanki, the then Commissioner of Service Tax-I, Commissioner
to initiate the improvement of basic amenities, facilities, infrastructure in
the Madhu Industrial Estate. With the increase in number of Service Tax
Commissionerates from 1 to 2 and then to 10 Commissionerates, new premises were
required to be acquired to accommodate the officers. Like flock of sheeps, the
officers were thrusted in the small place i.e. Madhu Industrial Estate. Only due
to the initiative of Shri V. S. Krishnan, the then CC, Shri Sushil Solanki and
Shri M.R.R. Reddy, new premises were acquired to accommodate the Service Tax
officers. One of them was the Air India Building and the other was Lotus Info
Centre.
8. The
allegation leveled by the Chief Executive of Credit Co-operative society on
Shri M.R.R. Reddy who became Commissioner in Jan 2015, who and
presently posted at Service
Tax-IV with additional charge of Service Tax Audit-I and Audit-II
Commissionerates is absolutely baseless, just to tarnish the image of Shri M.
R. R. Reddy. It is a well known fact among the entire Cadre of Service Tax
Commissionerates that Shri M. R. R. Reddy is the only person of his rank, who
took several initiatives for the welfare of the entire service tax staff as
well as raising the standard / knowledge of the officers, on a one-to-one
basis, so that as long as the officer is in Service tax, it will be beneficial
to the organisation. The impression and the nature of his contributions led to
him being known as “Service Tax -Mumbai means Shri M. R. R. Reddy”. He is a
person who is always ready to resolve all sorts of ST related issues as well as
increasing the collection of revenue, from maximum to optimum. Further, his
knowledge, sincerity, integrity, cordial approach, work ethics, etc is well
known to the Trade as well as in the Department. He is one of the most
respectable, lovable and accessible officers in the Mumbai Service Tax zone.
9. The Lotus premises were acquired with the
knowledge and approval of the senior officers & IFU, after following the
due process as laid down by DGHRD. Financial, as well as Administrative
approval were obtained for acquiring the premise of Lotus Info Centre Building.
The said building is situated adjacent to the railway stations of Parel as well
as Elphinstone Road. In this building, Service Tax-III, IV and Service Tax
Audit-I & II has been accommodated. For the first time in the last thirty
years, the staff now have a decent place to sit with all the amenities and
infrastructure and other basic necessities. Comparing the facilities available
at or provided at Madhu Industrial Estate and that at Lotus Info Centre
Building are poles apart.
10. But the outlook of Service Tax
Commissionerates in Mumbai, and the respect which it commands today in the
Trade, is mainly because of Shri M.R.R. Reddy’s straight forward nature, trade
as well as staff friendly, and this has to be seen to be believed. The office
premise at Lotus Info Centre as stated above is centrally air conditioned one
which will put to shame many of the corporate offices in Mumbai. The
facilities, amenities and the infrastructure that is provided at Lotus Info
Centre is solely because of the persuasive initiative and attitude adopted by
Shri M. R. R. Reddy.
11. We
strongly place on record that Shri M. R. R. Reddy commands great respect
amongst the staff as well as trade. The Mumbai Administration is lucky enough
to have such an outstanding officers like him whose service is totally
dedicated towards the improvement of the Departmental processes and image, as
well as to give a hassle free service to the service provider. CESA-Mumbai
strongly condemns any allegation, directly or indirectly or remotely leveled
against our Commissioner Shri M.R.R. Reddy, who commands respect at such
highest levels, both from the industry as well as from the Departmental staff.
12. Shri M. R. R. Reddy is one of the few
officers who have willingly taken up the burdensome & demanding charge of
Land & Building and made it possible to place the office and officer in
order. Unfortunately, leveling such type of baseless allegations, will surely
demoralize, not only the concerned officer but also prevent other senior
officers from taking up such onerous responsibilities in future. Hence, it is
requested that the representation dated 04-June-2016, which exceeds its brief,
should be disposed off accordingly.
Thanking
you,
Yours sincerely,
Sd/-14-06-2016
A. K.
SASMAL
General Secretary
Copy
to :-
1.
Shri Najib Shah, Chairman, CBEC, New Delhi.
2.
Shri S. C. Varshney, Chief Commissioner, Mumbai Central Excise
Zone-I.
3.
Shri Piyusha Patnaik, Chief Commissioner, Mumbai Service Tax Zone.
4. Shri M. R. R. Reddy,
Commissioner, Service Tax-IV, Mumbai.
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