CANTEEN FOR BELAPUR OFFICE

                                                                                                                                Ref: CESA/93/2014

                                                                                                                    Date: 30.12.2014

Shri FAHIM AHAMED

Commissioner Central Excise Belapur,

CGO Complex, CBD Belapur,

Navi Mumbai.

Respected Sir,

                        Sub: - Immediate restoration of Canteen facility – regarding.

            The members and staff posed in CGO Complex, CBD Belapur has brought to the notice of this Association that the canteen facility were available in the office has been discontinued since long and no alternate arrangement is made. It is learnt that the canteen was stopped due to some technical reasons. This causing inconvenience to all the staff of Central Excise Belapur Commissionerate, Service Tax and of Raigad Commissionerate also who are sitting in that building.

2.         It is not understood as to why the Administration has not made any arrangement till now and if there was any technical problem with the canteen contractor, when it runs the canteen for so many years this could have been continued for some more period till the alternate arrangement is made. But unfortunately the Authorities had abruptly stopped it and thereafter no expediency shown to restore this facility which is considered as one of the staff welfare measure by the ministry.

3.         Probably, the reasons for the laxity in restoring the facility which staff in general and Association can understand is that problem is only to lower staff who cannot afford the food and other things outside like others at higher level nor they have any arrangement to make tea at their table or anyone can serve it readymade to them at their beck-n-call.

4.         Sir, as near to the office there is no affordable eatable stalls or tea vendor etc. Officers has to go far off for the same and during lunch hours there is rush in those restaurants during lunch hours. Thus they have to wait and waste time also and work will also suffer if staff leaves office for these basic needs. Therefore, this Association request that this staff welfare measure viz. canteen facility be restored immediately by following the due process of inviting tenders etc.

         

          Yours sincerely,

                                                                                                                    A.K. Sasmal

                                                               General Secretary

Copy to:

 Ms. Arusha Vasudev, Chief Commissioner, Central Excise Mumbai Zone – II, for kind information and with a request to look into the matter and direct the authority concern to expedite the matter.

DON'T DECIDE RTI APPEALS WITHOUT HEARING APPLICANTS : C.I.C

               Deciding first appeals against RTI replies without hearing the appellant by a public authority is illegal, the Central Information Commission has said in   against the Law Ministry .Under the Right to Information Act, an appellant gets a chance to appeal twice against   of the Central Public Information Officer who receives and answers the application. The First Appeal is filed before an officer,   to CPIO, within the department where application is filed. The Second appeal is filed before the Central Information Commission. It is a common practice that at the First Appeal stage, public authorities do not invite applicants for hearing and decide the case on the basis of appeal filed by them.  

              The order of Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu may help in curbing the practice of deciding the first appeals without giving a chance to the applicant to explain himself during the hearing. The case relates to number of RTI applications filed by activist R K Jain from the Law Ministry."Passing orders in first appeal without hearing or sending hearing notice is illegal and will render the order invalid. The Commission sets aside the order of First Appellate Authority for violating RTI Act and breach of natural justice by denying the appellant a chance of presenting his case and  by raising entirely a new defence which was never claimed," Acharyulu said in the order He said, "It deserves action though the concerned officer retired from service and recommends Public Authority to initiate disciplinary action against the concerned   FAO for acting totally against the RTI Act in this case".

Source: PTI                                                                            

FILING OF DECLARATION OF ASSETS BY PUBLIC GOVT. SERVANT EXTENDED UPTO 30th APRIL 2015

AS PER THE THE DOPT OM DATED 25 /12/2014 THE GOVT OF INDIA EXTENDED THE PERIOD FOR FILING OF RETURNS FROM 31/12/2014 TO 30/4/2015 , DECLARATION OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES BY PUBLIC SERVANT UNDER SECTION 44 OF THE LOKPAL AND LOKAYUKTAS  ACT ,2013

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

POSSESSION OF LAXMI BUILDING, FOR AUDIT LTU MUMBAI

GOOD NEWS THAT SHRI SURESH KISNANI COMMISSIONER OF CENTRAL EXCISE MUMBAI – I, WHO IS HOLDING THE ADDITIONAL CHARGE OF LTU AUDIT COMMISSIONERATE SILENTLY WITH HIS PERSONAL EFFORTS ABLE TO GET POSSESSION OF LAXMI BUILDING, BALLARD PIER, FOR LTU MUMBAI’S AUDIT COMMISSIONERATE AND STARTED RENOVATION WORK ALSO WHICH IS LIKELY TO BE FUNCTIONAL FROM JAN 2015.

THE LTU CAME IN EXISTENCE IN 2008 WITH LIMITED STAFF AND ASSEESSEE WHICH NOW REACHED TO 46 AND STAFF MORE THAN A EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONERATE, WITH SAME SPACE.

BUT LTU AUDIT CAME IN 2014 OCTOBER AND THE DEDICATED COMMISSIONER GET PREMISES IN JUST FEW MONTHS FOR THE NEW ORGANIZATION.

THIS APPROACH AND EFFORTS IN SUCH MATTER IS RARE AND NEVER SEEN IN MUMBAI DESPITE ASSOCIATION AND STAFF RAISES ISSUES DECADES TOGETHER.

CESA THANKS TO COMMISSIONER AND HIS TEAM FOR HIS EFFORTS IN PROVIDING BETTER WORKING CONDITION TO STAFF.

INDISCIPLINE IN DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

                                                                                                       Ref: CESA/92/2014

                                                                                                   Date: 23.12.2014

To,

The Chairman,

Central Board of Excise & Customs,

Ministry of Finance,

North Block,

New Delhi – 110001

Respected Sir,

            Sub: - Demoralized officers due to prolonged disciplinary proceedings – reg.

            This is to bring to your kind notice that for initiating disciplinary proceedings against junior officers viz. Inspectors and Superintendents, the disciplinary authority doesn’t take much time and initiates the proceedings even without ascertaining the role played by the officers. But in finalizing the same even the norms and period prescribed is not adhered to. The Disciplinary Authority who initiate the proceedings, leave their good office on transfer, leaving the matter as it is in the hands of the successor, who has least interest in the matter as he is not the person who has initiated the same, thus no logical conclusion is drawn and matter goes on lingering years together.

            Sir, the disciplinary proceedings are there in department as a retributive measure to correct the officer and improve the efficiency as checks and balance method. Reward and punishment theory go hand in hand but in factual it is reverse. The authorities are more keen in initiating the proceedings but not in rewarding the officers for good work or closing the proceedings and do justice either with officer or with organization.

Some of the instances to substantiate above is as under –

In Thane – I Commissionerate several vigilance cases were initiated in haste but in all the cases due care has been taken not to implicate any Officers of Group ‘A’ cadre. The vigilance cases have been opened in the year 2003 and 2008 and around 40 officers of the cadre of Inspector and Superintendents have been charge-sheeted after a lapse of period ranging well over 5 to 9 years. The inquiry proceedings have been completed in snail’s pace and the inquiry reports are still pending with the inquiry officers.  In one case even the inquiry proceedings have so far not completed.

 Sir, some of the officers even retired without getting any promotion, lesser pay and consequent lesser fixation of pension and withholding of huge amounts by the department from the pensionary benefits. This in itself is a bigger punishment. Each passing day one has to face humiliation and social stigma, which the officer may not even deserve for such a long period.

But all the Senior Officers under whom all this happened are remain scot free, enjoying all the benefits of career and promotions. In fact in same case the proceedings initiated against one Group ‘A’ officer were withdrawn.

Not only this, there are instances wherein even the prosecution was launched against the Senior Officers, but later on their name was excluded from the same.

Sir, the Association is not against cleansing of the Administration and refurbishing of the image of department but expect fairness and expediency in such matter. It should not be an exercise to find out scape goats to cover up the mismanagement and corrupt deeds of others just to show some action is taken and then forget. We also do not expect the double standard of administration in such sensitive matters or any vindictive attitude wherein only lower officers are made the target to show tough image of administration.

We expect the same care and positive approach, as taken in case of Group ‘A’ officers wherein expediency is shown to even clear them just before their retirement and issue orders of consequential relief like promotion, hours before their superannuation (no need to substantiate it).

This Association requests that all the pending disciplinary proceedings be reviewed expeditiously and justice be done with everyone, not merely through paper horses but by properly monitoring in time bound manner so that it should be visible. This will help administration also as the services of many good officers be utilized at its optimum. Kindly intervene and put all the pending disciplinary proceedings on priority.

Thanking you.

      Yours sincerely,

                                                                                                                  A.K. SASMAL

                                                             General Secretary

Copy to:

1.    Director of Vigilance, CBEC, New Delhi for kind information with the request to intervene and expedite the disciplinary proceedings.

2.  Chief Commissioner Central Excise, Mumbai Zone – I, for kind information and necessary action please.

CESA BEST WISHES TO IRS OFFICERS ASSOCIATION ON THEIR FIRST MEETING AT MUMBAI.

CESA BEST WISHES TO IRS OFFICERS ASSOCIATION ON THEIR FIRST MEETING AT MUMBAI.

 In Mumbai, the first Central Executive Committee of promotee Group A Officers Association IRS, Customs, Central Excise & Service Tax will be held at NACEN Bhandup on 21.12.2014 at 1030 hrs.
            The promotion which normally cheers and bring joy but the recent promotions has reversed the hopes of our officers. In each passing day the humiliation is being heaped on the Officers as they do not have place to sit, and basic minimum requirement to officiate. The Department does not have any iota of intention to provide in near future any facility which a normal Group “A” Officer of Assistant Commissioner rank is entitled. The humiliation and discrimination is clearly visible in Mumbai and we feel the situation is the same in other parts of the country.
            To rub the wound further, the draft Recruitment Rules have been formulated to permanently create a form of racism – that is We and They. 
            CESA feels that the newly formed Association will outrightly reject the draft RR in toto and bring to the notice of the FM and PM about the mindset of the Board.  
            The other issues of pay scale has to be raised and resolved in a time bound manner.  
             In the meeting the Mumbai Unit will be represented by Varsha Kolhatkar as Secretary and Shri Venence Lobo as President. A good number of office bearers are expected to attend the meeting and to draw a road map for the Cadre.
            CESA conveys its best wishes to the newly formed Association and may its session be fruitful and positive, in order to bring a conducive and cordial atmosphere in the offices; and these form of racism should be stopped. . 

MISSION – REVENUE TARGET EXPECTING ACHIEVEMENT IN JET SPEED BUT NOT PROVIDING EVEN A BULLOCK CART!

          The Revenue Secretary Shri Shakti Kant Das and CBEC Chairman Shri Kausal Srivastav made their first visit to Mumbai, and met Tax Officials.The first session of the Revenue Secretary was with Income Tax officials; and in the same venue in the second session before lunch met top Mumbai Central Excise, Service Tax and Customs Officers. Their mission was to achieve the revenue target as the tax collection of indirect tax is sliding. Chief Commissioners made their power point presentations to mobilize the Officers. The Officers from Chief Commissioners upto the rank of Assistant Commissioners were called. All the recently promoted Assistant Commissioners were present.

          Our ex-President Varsha Kolhatkar and J P Sharma raised the issue of poor infrastructure, evasion on CENVAT credit, problem in ACES, and discrimination.
              Revenue Secretary clarified the issue related to procedural will be taken by the Officials of CBEC and I (the Revenue Secretary) will also take a note as every fortnight I have to report to the FM and PM about our ministry. The reply of the Chairman about the issues raised by the Officers was evasive, and about discrimination, they remained silent.

             However,  CESA will pursue the issues of better infrastructure as well as discrimination and improvement in ACES, as the capacity of the servers needs expansion. 

POSSESSION OF LOTUS BUILDING

POSSESSION OF LOTUS BUILDING

NEW COMMISSIONERATES OF SERVICE TAX III AND IV WILL START FUNCTIONING FROM LOTUS BUILDING

FROM THE 15^TH OF DECEMBER 2014. 

CHIEF COMMISSIONER, SERVICE TAX, MUMBAI ZONE

WILL INAGURATE

THE NEW PREMISES FOR SERVICE TAX.

FELICITATION FUNCTION OF RETIRED SUPDTS ON 13 DEC. 2014