Thursday, September 29, 2016

NEED FOR UNITY...





CESA-Mumbai proposed to hold a special meeting exclusively on GST. Accordingly, AIACEGEO held the meeting at New Delhi on 10th and 11th September 2016. Apart from other issues, the main resolution Passed by the Association is annexed.

The current Tax Regime switching over to GST is based on Market / Consumer demand. Market will play the supreme role, as customer is the king in the market. Whatever rules for GST are passed, will definitely be executed effectively & efficiently by us.

After the first GST meeting, All India VAT employees alleged as well as threatened to go on strike demanding Service Tax Assessees below a certain threshold to be handed over to them. The demand is just like Talibanisation and asking for a ransom from the Centre like an unlawful outfit. The Services of the State, irrespective of the Department, is always a common regular script for local film industry outright exploitation, high handedness, unchecked corruption, nothing moves without the exchange of something. Still they do not want to leave an inch, although the territory does not belong to them and the area of operation is also quite new to them.

In our resolution dated 10th Sept., we have demanded parity that our officer’s length of service, irrespective of the Gazetted/Non Gazetted (Group B) be posted / accommodated in the hierarchy of the theory “One Nation One Tax’’. Same work with same career prospects and facilities………..  In the hierarchy having service of more than 20 years to 30 years, Superintendents should be placed in Deputy Commissioner's Post in GST and Inspectors in the AC's Post. Rules should be made simple, so that there is no requirement for any facilitator extending corrupt practices like CHA in Custom House and CAs in Service Tax. Further, it will be in the fitment, that turn-over of more than 100 Crs., 10 % assessees be audited by them similarly 10% of less than  1.5 Crs assesse be audited by us. For cross-checking, the tax collected by us, will be audited by them and the tax collected by them will be audited by us, so that the quality of competition in the organization is maintained.

          It would have been more appropriate on the part of the STATE VAT should make efforts with their counter parts in Central Govt. Officers’ Association consulted them to make the opportunity for collective bargain and how to improve the conditions of working promotions on a give-and-take basis as both the State VAT and CBEC Group B and below officers are facing more or less similar problems of stagnation and career prospects problem. Hierarchy in State and Center is following the British legacy they take care of themselves and forget the others below them, this should not happen in the ensuing new Tax Regime.

          The officers should not be delighted as the FM retained around  11 Lakhs Service Tax assesses with Centre because he is well aware that to administer Service Tax, the state machinery is not equipped with knowledge as well as manpower. No State Finance Minister has objected because they are aware of their own weak position but this is a temporary arrangement. We should think for a long term solution not to be happy with this short term arrangement. We should demand the control ……as well as powers of audit and anti-evasion and more power for adjudications and for the redressal mechanism so that the body will remain Jumbo as like today without slicing a little.

Steering Committee is scheduled to be held on 01st Oct., 2016 at Mumbai. The deliberations and outcome will be informed shortly.

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY AIACEGEO IN THE AEC MEETING HELD ON 11th September, 2016 IN NEW DELHI

TECHNICAL
1)    Assessment or Scrutiny responsibility should be distributed from Superintendent to Additional Commissioner level depending on the monetary limit and assessable value, number of assessees and number of credit documents. Inspector should be in the workflow in the ACES before the Returns / Registrations are verified / scrutinized by the Superintendent.

Justification

a)     Parity with State VAT & Income Tax in tax administration.
b)    To do away with Review mode of Tax assessment and instead adopt Revision mode.
c)     To minimize litigations and avoid revenue being locked up.
d)    To ensure Officer Orientation in finalizing higher volume of Tax.
e)    To ensure proper distribution of responsibility and accountability.

2)    The Assessment Structure should be 1:2:4 between JC/ADC : DC/AC : Supdt.

3)    Between Scrutiny and Appeals – Powers of Review should be delegated between AC, Jt / Addl Commissioner & Commissioner to help facilitate the Trade.

4)    In the Adjudication procedure any adjournment/ non-appearance by parties, said period should be left outside the statutory three / five years time limit to write off demands as proposed under the model GST Laws.

Technology
1)    GSTN Platform - Presently the stake of the Private Organizations in GSTN is 51% Private and stake of Govt. is 49% only (Central + State). GSTN should be fully under Govt. control to ensure the data security is not compromised.

The custodian of the sensitive data of Crores of Assessees in the GSTN should rest with the Govt. (Central + State).

2)    The present status / working of ACES leaves much to be desired. In spite of 7 years of implementation of ACES, not a single Report has been reduced by the Board for the field.

The Report Generation Module in ACES is very rudimentary as not many reports useful to the field formations is available. There are no up to the month report in CEX in ACES till date.

Further, there are no useful Service Tax Revenue Reports in ACES either based on the Returns or NSDL data.

Many a times lack of useful reports makes officers from the field formation to go to the assessees.

The EDW could have been useful if the access had not been limited to only few USERS per Commissionerate. The EDW access is not only useful for Statistical Information, but the wealth of information can be used by the Anti-evasion Wing of the Commissionerate. On this account our own data cannot be used effectively by the Deptt. for plugging the Revenue Leakage.

It should be ensured that we do not carry the negative legacy of ACES in the GSTN era. The design of the reports should be such that it is self explanatory and ready to use and satisfies the need of the Ministry/ Board. It should eliminate the need for generating the Reports at Range Level. Many a times lack of useful reports makes officers from the field formation to go to the assessees.

3)    The access of ACES / GSTN Portal for the Officers should be made through Internet so as to enable the Officers at all levels to access the GSTN/ ACES System on 365 X 24 X 7.

This will not only increase the efficiency of the Deptt but also drastically reduce the recurring expenditure involved in getting the BSNL / MTNL MPLS leased Line or VPN o BB.

4)    Presently the access of 1 User of NSDL EASIEST provided to each Commissionerate is grossly inadequate. Again, the data belongs to the Deptt and the Officers are unable to use the data extensively as the access is restricted to only 1 User. 


Infrastructure

1)    Provision of Cadre Wise entitled working space with all necessary equipments like laptops, desktop PCs, Printers etc. in uniform manner throughout the country.

2)    Every Group B Officer of CBEC should be provided with a laptop and a 4G Data Card. Presently the benefit of 1% incremental revenue scheme has never percolated to Gr B Officers.

3)    The proposals for Residential and Official accommodation should be cleared by DGHRD and Board in a Time Bound manner.




HR Policies

1)    A long term notified HR Policy should be evolved for the entire Organization in consultation with the Staff/ Officer Association. Any future Restructuring/ Re-organization as a fall out of GST should be in consultation with all Staff Association.

2)    Structure of the Deptt should depend on the workload depending on number of Returns and documents to be scrutinized and in relation to declared duties and responsibilities of the Officers.

3)    Audit, Intelligence and Anti-evasion wings should be strengthened and well equipped.

4)    Well defined Training Mechanism. Training based on Model Law to be opposed. Full training should also be given after the Law / Rules come in to force.


 Since the GST Act, Rules and procedures are evolving, depending upon the situation insertions or modifications to the above proposals have also to be considered as a continuing process.

Monday, September 26, 2016

PLATFORM FOR GST...




CESA-Mumbai, duly authorized by AIACEGEO, hosted a joint meeting of the Chief Office bearers of Inspectors’, Superintendents’ Federations, promotee IRS officers, Drivers, representative of Ministerial, Appraisers, direct IRS officers, at NACEN, Mumbai, on 17-Sept-2016. All the aforesaid Associations Chief Office Bearers and many delegates from various units attended the joint meeting.

The Joint Meeting started with a brief given by Sh. Deepak Mata, Assistant Director of NACEN, Mumbai. The said meeting was chaired by Sh. Chandremouli, President of AIACEGEO. All the office bearers expressed their views and apprehensions about the administration after rolling out GST. Assistant Director NACEAN, Bhandup briefed the latest position of GST and office bearers Sh Pawan Reddy Mannimohan, Tirthankar, Jitender also expressed their apprehensions and appealed for taking up the issues.

The main motto of this meeting was to form a common platform for all the cadres and to bring together all the stakeholders from the Administration side in the proposed new Tax regime of GST. The other stakeholder in the new tax regime are the state VAT employees who have already constituted a body at the all India level and have approached the Finance Minister to safeguard their interests, while administering the GST.

Everybody has emphasized about the threshold level of assessees paying revenue of Rs. 1.5 Crores. The issue of the tax base and its control will shape its organizations who will have how much share of the cake, big or small in the organization. Hence, if present CBEC will be able to retain its Tax Base then definitely it will play an elderly role, then in GSTN its control would be 24.5%, Centre 24.5%, state and other private stake holders 51%, then the issue of re-organization of the formations infrastructure. All the delegates expressed their views as well as their resentment that the Govt. is proceeding unilaterally and keeping the entire work force of the organization in the dark, which is not a healthy trend, as has been seen during the two earlier CR in CBEC wherein the major work forces remain excluded from the process and the problems of 80% of the work force in the organization remain unaddressed, whether it is career prospects or disparity in pay or lack of infrastructure.

The DG NACEN,Shri P.K.Dash on request also shared his views & facts in a lucid manner. In the meeting it was unanimously agreed to have a joint platform with minimum agenda from the respective cadres. A steering committee of all associations under CBEC on GST is to be formed with an intention to put forth before the government to immediately address the grievances of all the staff associations. It was also decided that the first meeting of newly formed steering committee will be held on 01-Oct-2016 in Mumbai to chalk out the future strategy and course of action

Meanwhile, the first meeting of GST Council was held and the turnover threshold exemptions etc., has been approved. It is learned that on 16th Sept., the Revenue Secretary has softened his stand towards CBEC and held a meeting in the Chairman’s cabin and assured that no staff will be reduced and position of the employees will be strengthened. As regards to GSTN, Govt., is considering to have a hold on GST itself and not allow it to rest with private stakeholders.
The fate of the Department is in crumbling mode. However, the senior officers, especially those who are under the impression that they are stalwarts, having expert & skilled knowledge, but all their ability failed the litmus test of not being able to hold the flag high as expected. As like other organizations, i.e. Police, Army, CISF, BSF, where there is a unity, as they belong to an uniformed cadre, whenever anything happens to the lower cadre or any case of manhandling, awkward situation etc., by the public, the entire organization stands like a rock behind the officer. Whether it is Vaishakhi, Holi, Onam, they all observe it in unity and with a sense of belongingness, irrespective of their caste, religion, positions held, together with their family, as they believe in self belongingness. But contrary to that, in our formations, the British legacy of SAHEB and BABU is visible. All the work from power to position, from admission to hospitalization, from shifting to establishment, from link to dealing, the Inspector and the Superintendent are till date playing major role and stand like a pillar of the Department but the seniors used them just like a KADI PATTA/TEJPATTA (required while preparing curry, for garnishing when the dish was prepared and served, and they were thrown out of the dish before munching the first pack).
The image of the Department is carried by the officers who are in the field, not by the officers who are sitting comfortably in their air-conditioned cozy rooms. Right from the days of physical control to SRP, Tariff item 68 to HSN, Section 4 to transaction value Rules, we have created havoc by over interpreting, by becoming a quasi judicial authority under a reasonable belief. The image of the Department before the trade has become sullied, unwanted litigation, indecisiveness, inconsistency of the applications of law, all these are responsible for the present situation. In presenting the performance and unreasonable Targets, all kinds of tricks are played and now as sowed time has came to reap it, but for that the lower officers cannot be made the scape-goat.  Revenue may come or may not come but the system and the organization will remain!  But what about those who were responsible for the damage, will they remain same in the eyes of the officers like the name of Emperor Aurangzeb in history.

CESA-Mumbai has in hand a copy of Resolutions passed by the National Executive of All India Confederation of Commercial Tax Association(AICCTA) on 24.09.2016 where in they have resolved  and condemned the retention of Assessment Jurisdiction of 20.87 lakh Service Tax assessees and demanded that ST assessees with turnover limit of Rs. 1.5 crore per annum be given to them. In the decision making process in GST staff Association be involved and similar pay and facility for similar work according to designation to all staff in State Govt. under GST.

In their resolutions, the state VAT officials have stated in their messages that IRS has managed its agenda by taking help of consultants, whereas they (VAT officials) meet at some place and then forgot the same and busy in their office work so failed. They appealed to their body to hire consultants to press their demand of giving service tax assesseement of all assessees below Rs. 1.5 crores. They have even given message for nationwide agitation to press their demands.

             It seems that things are now precipitating and all the Associations/Federations of CBEC have to be vigilant rather than relying on social media or print media, but we have to be meticulous in making demands and stand united with full fledged solidarity to turn the tide in our favour.

CESA will bring the latest position in the GST in the next blog.
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Thursday, September 15, 2016

POTHOLES ON THE ROAD TO GST...


We all are aware about the tussle that is going on between the Judiciary and the Legislature, with regard to the appointment of Judges. The Chief of the Judiciary raises this issue boldly, whenever he gets an opportunity. Recently, on Sunday, the Chief Justice of India, Shri T. S. Thakur, reiterated the urgent need to increase the number of Judges in India and said that “we may keep on inviting foreign Direct Investments and raising slogans about progress, but it is essential that the judicial system should also be improved to deal with disputes arising from this progress”. He was speaking at the first conference of the Judicial officers in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
A couple of months ago, during an interactive session with the taxmen, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India had exhorted them to double the tax base or the number of tax-payers to 10 crores, while also urging them to build a bridge of trust with taxpayers.
Although, no deadline was given to achieve this laudable goal, the noble intention may not be realized soon. As of now, almost all the services rendered by the trade are taxable, the number of taxpayers have increased multi-fold, but the Department has sadly not been able to keep up with their level of service vis-à-vis the increase in number of tax-payers or the increase in services covered. The Department has also been very poor in providing training to the grass root level officers i.e. the Inspectors and Superintendents and several new formations are now functioning on a as-and-where basis. As regards to IT, they do not feel ashamed how they are heading the administration without even providing the basic infrastructure of providing a bare desktop for each ground level officer, forget about Internet, LAN & WAN. However, on comparison, the level of comforts for Grp-A officers are not at all compromised, whether it is about working conditions, facilities under the ‘1% increment Scheme, reimbursement of medical expenses etc. It is reported that even the bills of serious illnesses of junior officers or their family members are pending for months together, whereas the ‘delivery of baby’ bills of newly recruited Grp-A officers are disbursed without any delay.
In the last cadre restructuring, eligible officers were not available to be posted/promoted to the higher posts which were newly created in Grp-A, but the necessary provisions were made in the pyramid structures, whereas officers most stagnated in Grp-B Cadre were dealt badly, as far as their career prospects are concerned. More than 30-45% vacancies of supporting staff like inspectors and Superintendents are lying vacant. Board is busy trying to fill-up vacancies in the higher posts, but are least concerned about the vacancies at the field level, due to which the work has suffered.
In the backdrop of the above, last Sunday, a meeting has taken place and a decision was taken to change the name of the Board from “CBEC” to “CBIT”. Those who are in the process of engagement, hardly may have remaining service of six months or one year before GST is rolled out into reality, by which time their careers would have come to an end. The vision of PM and FM is a long term one, whereas the higher-ups are busy only to safeguard their own positions for the remaining period which are in their hand. They compare themselves with the CBDT with respect to promotion prospects, but they have no answers as to why we are lagging behind in IT sector, specifically in ACES, as well with respect to staff welfare measures, especially the attitude of Senior officers towards their Junior Officers. Lastly, the oneness and belongingness that prevails in CBDT is not at all visible in our CBEC.
Since the inception, from Salt to Tobacco to Service Tax, the Inspectors and the Superintendents, who form a large chunk of the Department, were treated as the backbone of the Department. But the treatment towards them is deteriorating from bad to worse. They have created several higher level posts for liquidation of pendency in Adjudication, but what is the status of the pendencies, who prepares the Order, then what is the need for them, are some of the questions which nobody wants to ask, or worse, answer. Similarly, for the recovery of arrears, TAR has been created all over India, but no officers are posted regularly and many of the posts remain vacant.
Now the process for implementation of GST has started and the Cabinet has approved the constitution of the GST Council. First meeting of GST Council is to be held on 22/23-Sept-2016. The office of the GST Secretariat will have its office at New Delhi. The Secretary (Revenue) will be the Ex-Officio Secretary to the GST Council. Chairman (CBEC) will be a permanent invitee (Non-Voting) to all proceedings of the GST Council. One Additional Secretary in the GST Council Secretariat and four Commissioners at the level of Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary level, respectively. The Council Office will be manned by the officers taken on deputation from both the Centre and the State.
The Hon’ble Chairman of CBEC has secured a place in the Secretariat as a mere witness to the proceedings of the Council. Meanwhile, the IRS Association has passed a four point resolution and submitted to GoI. The IRS officers have reduced this CBEC, which was at one time, a powerful Board in the country, to a mere statutory body with all  its organs, powers and privileges, clipped.
The DG-Systems came into existence more than a decade back, but the post has now become an ornamental post and a static posting for officers who want to remain in Delhi without having to make any contribution to the Organization. No one bothered to make the ACES system effective and all the modules in it operational, because they felt that it will increase responsibility of Grp-A officers & make them more accountable. Similarly, TAR, DG-Valuation and several other Directorates have been created for namesake, without making any contribution and having any utility.
Now the Government is planning to change the name of present DGCEIA, and planning to increase its effectiveness by posting officers from state governments also. In Mumbai, the recovery and detection by Audit and Anti Evasion sections are far better than the so called premier agency. The said agency has now become another static posting for officers wanting to remain in a particular city or to continue in the same grade or as a stepping stone to DRI or ED.
CESA-Mumbai, has time & again, brought to notice, several shortcomings, whether it is of ACES, performance of DGCEIA, posting of officers in DRI, ED etc. Now, due to the narrow vision of a few clueless officers, the entire organization will suffer and it will be difficult to regain the image of the past glorious period, in the present context.
CESA Mumbai is hosting a joint meeting  on 17th September (Saturday) inviting all the chief office bearers of all staff welfare associations of Group A, Group B and Group C of CBEC to have interactions on the impact of GST, proposed manpower deployment  and how to maintain equity, dignity and the interest of all Cadres. It is expected that all the top office Bearers of IRS Association / Appraisers’ Association / Superintendent (Customs) / Superintendent (Excise) / Inspectors (Central Excise) / Ministerial / Drivers / Sepoys and Hawaldars, will contribute positively to the discussion, which will build a powerful platform to present our case jointly before the Government of India.
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Friday, September 9, 2016

FROM CESA'S DESK






GST Bill gets Presidents approval and becomes a LAW, The CGST and IGST bills will be drafted on the basis of the Model GST LAW. The States will draft their respective GST laws with minor variation to incorporate the state based exemptions. The Centre is in the process of setting up of the GST Council, which will decide on the crucial issues of GST i.e. Tax Rates, Cess and Surcharges which are to be subsumed and also to decide on the Goods and Services which is to be exempted from the purview of the new indirect tax regime. Let us be patient and watch the further developments, which would be announced by the GST Council.
In the ensuing meeting of All India Federation of Superintendents of Central Excise on 10th and 11th September, 2016 at New Delhi, the impact of forthcoming GST will be deliberated. Further in the meeting to be held on 17th September, 2016 at Mumbai with all other staff associations of the CBEC, there will be interaction and strategy to safeguard the career progression of the CBEC Staff will be chalked out.
DPC from GROUP B to GROUP A 

The Day, the present Member (P & V) assumed the charge in CBEC, the issue of holding DPC is in back foot. As you are well aware in the Central Excise Day Felicitations Commendation list, the first person to be nominated was Under Secretary A.D.II although he is not from our stream. Every organization honours only their cadre, whereas this is the first time the CBEC under her command nomination and conferred the highest honour to the said official who is from Secretarial Services. In Group B Central Excise Superintendent is in acute stagnation stage as compared to other two counterparts. With a motivated interest in one or the other pretext the holding of DPC is being delayed, whether it is because of a CAT matter or Principal CAT matter. Several orders are issued subject to outcome of the decisions of various Judiciary keeping the interest of the applicants protected. Then why no DPC is being held and no promotion orders are issued.
 Earlier, on the issue of reservation, the conduct of DPCs have been dragged for the last 8 months. Now, a case in CAT, Chennai has been filed by Tamilnadu Unit, for non implementation of proper PBR, defects in quantifying vacancies, excess representation of Customs appraisers primitives in AC Cadre, excess representation of DR - ACs, the same has been admitted and a stay has been granted on the conduct of DPC for the further promotion  to the AC Cadre upto 5th October, 2016 by Hon’ble Tribunal, Chennai. This case has been tagged to another case, filed on the implementation of N.R.Parmar case, on the issue of revision of seniority list.
It is learnt that SC/ST aggrieved officers, after the decision of the Principal Bench of CAT, Delhi had approached the High Court. However, due to a Caveat filed by the department, these officers have filed an SLP before Supreme Court and the Hon’ble Apex Court has admitted their appeal and has tagged it with the appeal which is pending before the Apex court.
In the past, there was a vacuum in the Board, the said Member (P& V) had undergone the agony as their promotion was at stake for a considerable period. The pinch and frustrations that they underwent did not create any realization on them and have failed to realize how the Group B officers in thousands are passing their days when they are eligible for promotions and are stagnating in the same Cadre. Unless the mindset changes and approach towards staff welfare irrespective of their cadre, career progressions are carried out periodically no organization can prosper or no employee will have any faith, trust and reverence to their employers.
Lot of resentment are brewing in the minds of the officers against the Board due to faulty career progression approach and bias and prejudice nature towards this cadre, whether it is career progression or MACP. Testing patience of the cadre is crossing all the limits. The details of the SLP will be posted shortly.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

FAT TO FIT... GST PART-2...

The Hon'ble President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, today signed the GST Bill, which will do away with a host of central & state taxes & usher in one tax regime for the entire country.

Earlier, the Government of India (GoI) was happy that the Constitutional Amendment Bill of GST was passed unanimously in the Rajya Sabha and as per the schedule, more than 16 states have ratified it in their assemblies, within one month of the passing of the said Bill.
GoI is in full swing to constitute the GST Council within one month, which will comprise of 35 members, which includes all the state Finance Ministers and the Finance Minister of India. A two month time frame has been allotted to them for their submissions. The Rules and procedures are likely to be formulated before February 2017 and efforts are being made to create awareness of the concept "One State One Tax, i.e. GST", by imparting training to the State Employees as well as our staff of Central Excise and Service Tax and also the Trade.
In Mumbai, NACEN has been conducting trainings for Master Trainers and Trainers from Central staff and State staff have completed their trainings. These Master Trainers will now be imparting training to their as well as our staff at various locations across the state.  Finance Minister has realized that although it is a tough task, he is determined to roll out GST, hoping to cross all the hurdles smoothly. The main priority will be to garner more revenue as well as plugging its leakages.
Apprehensions are many amongst the staff about the manner of implementation of GST and its eventual structure. CESA-Mumbai does not have any propriety to comment on policy matters, but be assured that it will take up issues for safeguarding the dignity and status of the officers, vis-à-vis the new GST structure. We know our BOARD very well and also our strengths. With the limited resources and means we should be able to rise upto the occasion, against all odds and barriers placed by other stakeholders.
Hon’ble Finance Minister and other luminaries, like Sri Hasmukh Adhia, Sri Shaktikanta Das,Sri Arvind Subramanium,Sri Lavasa etc. all are well aware that the shifting of a large tax base, presently administered by Central Excise and Service Tax Department at one go and the inexperience of the states in handling service tax assessment matters of small tax payers may prove to be detrimental, not only to the immediate revenue but also to the long term GST implementation.

Still in their eyes, we, the officers of Central Excise and Service Tax are big brothers and expect to remain same in the changing scenario. The officers of this Department are not only competent but also are capable of tackling all the intricacies like reading of Balance Sheets and Financial Statements to uncover tax evasions etc. and the interpretation of various statutory laws, very effectively and moreover handling of service tax issues, negative lists, reverse mechanism, calculation of turnover, various abatements and eligibility of exemptions and refunds and timely safeguarding revenue by issuance of SCNs. The daring and courage to initiate prosecution and also arrest of evaders is unparalleled and our staff has excelled in DRI, ED, DGCEI and economic wings. The plus point is that they are computer savvy and are capable of handling all types of litigations and can stand up to any situations even upto the apex court with utmost dedication. There may be some rotten fish but they can be identified and weeded out. If, in any locality there are epidemics of dengue, typhoid etc. we do not shift or change our locality, we rather would initiate action to check/control and thereafter eradicate the cause.

We are responsible for the image of our own Department, as well as for devaluing our own status after the first phase of liberalization. There are several officers still in the Department who live within their limited means (read "salary") and render their duty with utmost dedication and even commute by public transport. In the present scenario, our experience, skill,and adaptiveness will certainly count and we will be able to hold the same positions in the Department as well as in the society.
Since the last two days, in the social media (WhatsApp) there is wide circulation of two items i.e. Draft CGST Recruitment Rules and GST Reorganisation. CESA-Mumbai clarifies that these have been prepared by one of our federating units, who has proposed the same - but none of them are official.  Still nothing has been prepared, state will prepare their own SGST Act and will be responsible for the reorganization of their own staff as well as their structure, similarly the Centre for CGST and IGST, as it appears from the Model GST law.
All the states will be using the GST Network (GSTN) that is being prepared. Government is already in the process to maintain uniformity, so as to avoid clashes while implementing the three-tier tax systems. Similarly the staff positions, deputation for Centre to State and vice versa as well as similar hierarchy will be a tough issue for the authorities to decide amicably. It is hoped that general HR principles are incorporated, like 'No senior should work under a junior', irrespective of Centre or State. The Group-A Officers’ Association is working day and night to safeguard their own interest as well secure prime positions in the hierarchy without any compromise in their dignity and status.
We have to be prepared and gear ourselves up to be more accountable, skilled and ready to render service, efficiently and speedily.
AIACEGO has scheduled a meeting on GST about our career progressions on 10th and 11th of September at New Delhi. Thereafter on 17th September 2016, a meeting is scheduled with all the office bearers of the Associations / Federations i.e. Group-A, Superintendents of Central Excise, Superintendents of Customs, Appraisers, Inspectors of Central Excise, Preventive Officers, Examiners, Ministerial Staff, Stenographers and Group-C staff, at Mumbai.
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Thursday, September 1, 2016

NATIONWIDE STRIKE ON 02 SEP 2016


All the Central Govt. employee are participating in the nationwide strike, on 2nd September, 2016, as per call given by All India confederation.
As our Apex body has not given any call for participation in the proposed strike, we are not participating in the said ‘STRIKE’.
The 12-point charter of demand of the trade unions is as follows: 
  1. Urgent measures for containing price rise through universalisation of PDS and banning speculative trade in commodity market.
  2. Containing unemployment through concrete measures for employment generation.
  3. Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws.
  4. Universal social security cover for all workers.
  5. Minimum wage of not less than Rs. 18000/- per month with provisions of indexation (for unskilled worker).
  6. Assured enhanced pension not less than Rs 3000 p.m. for the entire working population (including unorganised sector workers).
  7. Stoppage of disinvestment in Central/state Public Sector undertakings.
  8. Stoppage of contractorisation in permanent/perennial work and payment of equal wage and benefits for contract workers as regular workers for same and similar work.
  9. Removal of all ceilings on payment and eligibility of bonus, provident fund and increase in quantum of gratuity.
  10. Compulsory registration of Trade Unions within a period of 45 days from the date of submitting application and immediate ratification of ILO conventions C-87 and C-98.
  11. No. FDI in Railways, Defence and other strategic sectors.
  12. No unilateral amendment to labour laws.