NEW SERVICE TAX COMMISSIONERATES AS PER NEW PROPOSAL

Ref :CESA/60 /2014
Dtd.:15.09.2014

Ms. J.M. Shanti Sundharam

Hon’ble Chairperson,

Central Board of Excise & Customs,

New Delhi
 

Sub :  Request for notifying jurisdiction of new Service Tax Commissionerates as per the recent revised changes in Districts effected by the Maharashtra Government and proposal submitted by Mumbai administration on 09.09.2014 - reg.

Respected Madam,

CESA expresses its appreciation that your honour is putting in your all-out efforts to roll out the proposal of Cadre Restructuring as well as creation of new Formations/Commissionerates according to the parameters of total revenue, number of assessees as well as catering to the requirements and aspirations of the staff as well as better tax administration.

           The proposals for new Commissionerates, as approved by the Cabinet got issued vide CR Notification dated 12.05.2014. Accordingly, the two existing Service Tax Commissionerates of Mumbai zones are split into 7 Commissionerates of Service Tax & 3 Service Tax Audit Commissionerates.

As far as Central Excise is concerned there is no change in the formation of Commissionerates in both the Zones, except allocating of Audit Commissionerates.

The Notification of the new Commissionerates is expected and it is learnt that the Board is going ahead with the previous proposal which was sent prior to the issuance of the CR Notification, which is outdated at this juncture.

          Madam, as you are aware, the new proposed Mumbai ST-VII Commissionerate is carved out of the existing Division-VI of Mumbai ST-II Commissionerate (comprising of the existing jurisdiction of Thane-I, Thane-II and part of Mumbai-III Central Excise Commissionerates), Division-V of ST-II Commissionerate (comprising of Mumbai-II, Belapur and the remaining part of Mumbai-III Central Excise Commissionerates) and Raigad ST Division (comprising of the Raigad Commissionerate of Central Excise).

That is, the area of the proposed ST-VII Commissionerate of Mumbai covers entire Thane, Raigad and a part of Mumbai Districts. One end of ST-VII starts from Dahanu near Gujarat State Border and ends at the border of Ratnagiri District. Distance between both the ends would be more than 250 kms. There is no local train connectivity between these two ends. As such, the Trade as well as the staff will be put to great inconvenience in reaching each other for official work on day to day basis.

Accordingly, local staff Associations have requested in person to the Chief Commissioner, Central Excise, Mumbai Zone-I, to consider the geographical and topographical conditions of the jurisdiction of Mumbai Zones and the facilities available for commuting while proposing the formation of the seven Commissionerates and to aligning the jurisdictions of Service Tax Commissionerates, so as to cause least inconvenience to the Trade at large and the staff as well.

The Government of Maharashtra has split the erstwhile Thane District into Thane District & Palghar District, with effect from the 01-Aug-2014, as the area was very vast. This was done to facilitate the citizens of the newly formed Palghar District as earlier the District Head Quarters of Thane District was located at Thane, which involves considerable travelling. Moreover, there was no direct connectivity of train service.

Considering the above development, it is learnt that the CC office, Mumbai Zone-I, after due consultation, had administratively amended the earlier proposal and submitted a new one on 9/9/2014 along with the draft of the Notification (in both English & Hindi), as instructed by the Board office.

The amended proposal has been drafted after due consultations with CCs of Mumbai Zone-I & Zone-II, Commissioners ST-I & ST-II, who are well acquainted with the ground reality & the difficulties faced by the staff and Trade. Local trains are the lifeline of Mumbai as far as commutation is concerned, both for staff and the trade. Commuting between Dahanu of Palghar District to Belapur and Raigad involving change of trains, takes almost 5-6 hours in trying circumstances, especially during peak hours. The amended proposal has been thoughtfully and meticulously carved out without any breaks in continuity as per the revenue wards of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and other important parameters, as earlier stated above.

The amended draft proposal is more practical and convenient one and also balancing the revenue, number of assessees and continuity in the geographical jurisdiction. It also takes care of the commutation problems of the Trade and the Staff, who can reach the HQ of the respective Commissionerates with the least amount of inconvenience.  The old proposal was lacking in the above concerns.

Madam, the staff of Mumbai Zones will be highly obliged if your goodself will consider the amended proposal submitted by the CC office on 09-Sep-2014, while issuing the Notification outlining the jurisdiction of the new Commissionerates.

Thanking you,

                        

                   Yours sincerely

                      A.K. Sasmal

                                                                                      General Secretary

CC to :

1. Hon’ble Revenue Secretary, Deptt. of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi – For kind information and with a request to consider the amended proposal, which is convenient for all and also rational.
2. The Member (P & V), CBEC, New Delhi - For kind information and with a request to consider the amended proposal, which is convenient for all and also rational.
3. Ms. Mala Shrivastava, Hon’ble Member (Customs), CBEC, New Delhi, In – charge of Mumbai Zone  - For kind information and with a request to consider the amended proposal, which is convenient for all and also rational.
4. DG (HRD), CBEC, New Delhi - For kind information and with a request to consider the amended proposal, which is convenient for all and also rational.
5. The Chief Commissioner, Central Excise, Zone I/II, for kind information and with a request to impress upon the Board to consider the latest amended proposal dated 9/9/2014 which is convenient to all.