Central Excise Offices Are Far Better - Claims Chief Commissioner
IN -03 01 2011, we had carried an item, “Infrastructure – facilities : Income Tax Better Than Customs”. You don't need the FM to tell you this – anyone who has any remote connection with both the Departments will know this, but Mr. BR Tripathi, Chief Commissioner, Lucknow thinks otherwise. He is very angry with us for our report and has sent us a scathing mail in which he says that posting of uniformed officers in front of offices ensures faster means of communication!. Here is the text of his mail as such – that is how he wanted us to publish it.
By now, your web had attained much reliability and respectability because of so many factors-in the community and fraternity of Tax payers, advocates, consultants, senior officers of the Department of Revenue, Government of India i.e. with those who belong to CBEC and CBDT. I do read it everyday, if not entire contents then atleast the headlines the spicy news/ views as well. Somehow, I perceive that at times your observations, opinions and comments are too caustic, personalized, imbalanced and at times not based on facts and figures or with backing materials. For want of same, many perceives these to be scandalous in nature, loaded with bias hence creates unwarranted jealousies, unhealthy competition and at times, it is treated distorted if not altogether as rubbish. Your readers expect a balanced view, representing both sides of picture. Therefore the opinions must be backed up by reliable and trust-worthy facts, figures and materials.
2. I went through your publication under heading- “Infrastructure- facilities: Income Tax Better Than Customs” published dated 4-5/01/2011. It has been observed as if on behalf of Hon'ble FM that the Customs and Central Excise Department does not believe in spending Government's money. Let them spend all money allotted to them and try to get some more to spent that “you will know the difference while visiting any Income Tax office and Customs and Central Excise Office”. To the observations of the assesses and of general public, on All India basis, I can say with confidence that, the Offices of the Central Excise and Customs Department are far far better, in lay out of the offices, in working environment, space, infrastructure and look etc. The regularity and punctuality and upkeep of the offices of ours are rather 2nd to none in the country. The officers are also highly technically informed and are knowledgeable and they are subscribing to your Tax India online, ELT and other Journal periodical.
3. Your advice that they should learnt from their cousins in Income Tax department and how to spend the money, is uncalled for. The TIO is perhaps not holding the brief for Income Tax Department. Your observations are highly misplaced.
4. On the other hand you are convasing for cutting down of certain wasteful expenditure. The example quoted are about the functioning of the control room and about ‘dosing of sepoys' and as to whether, they are working as receptionists. Whether such job of housekeeping could be out-sourced from expert house-keepers. I am sure these observations have been mailed, without understanding the functioning of the Central excise and Customs department, without knowing what is the supposed to be a premium on quality of such enforcement agencies, dealing in Tax evasion, being historically in uniform cadre upto the level of AC. That for proper discipline, protocol as well as for felicitation to trade and industry, the functioning of a control-room is a must for the establishment of like ours where the is job of enforcement, which is round the clock. Today when the Government buildings are to be secured, the visit of touts and fixers has to be eschewed, the presence of uniform officers like sepoy and inspectors at front of the inside of the building, can't be considered as wasteful expenditure. It ensures faster means of communications, liasioning, coordination and fast dissimination of informations, the presence of uniform officer at the gate of Government building or by way of control-room cannot and should not be under-estimated. A distant and casual observation, having no concern and no knowledge about the functioning of the department, will make such un-called and non-subscriber observations and comments.
Only yesterday, DDT mentioned about the amusingly angry outbursts by some officers at the slightest hint of criticism. We respect and will protect at all costs his right to express his opinion. An editorial colleague suggested that we should run an SMS poll on the Chief Commissioner's views.
If you remember, in a rejoinder to us, some time back, this Chief Commissioner had commented about Judicial Terrorism and “that it is unwarranted on the part of the Hon'ble High Court to entertain such a WP” [Please see -14-05-2010]