Registration - Netizens frustrated by ACES
THIS is just one of the mails we get from frustrated service providers who made many attempts to register with the department but found that the ACES system and the Commissionerate were not inclined to get them registered.
From: xxx
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2015
To: aces.servicedesk@icegate.gov.in
Subject: Non accessibility of ACES system
Sir,
I am a professional Management Consultant from Mumbai. Attempting to register through ACES for Service Tax registration. For a very long period after entering first page of Form ST 1 the system shows "IT Server down unable to process, please try later".
This is the issue experienced continuously for the last eight hours. Kindly set right the ACES system at the earliest. I am waiting for your immediate action for the smooth functioning of the system and the user friendly atmosphere in ACES system. Hope my grievances will be attended to on priority.
Regards,
xxx
Dear Sir/Madam,
Regarding your complaint, it has been logged and escalated to the application team. Once we receive the solution, we will intimate the same to you.
Your complaint ticket number is SD0037xxxx
For further details feel free to call our toll free number 1800 425 4251
Thanks & Regards
Xxx
ACES Service Desk
Toll Free Number: 1800 425 4251
IT seems that the problem is still not solved.
We also received a mail from a retired departmental officer, who nowadays wears the robes of a Consultant. He too informed us on similar lines -
I wanted to carry out an amendment of Form ST2 for my client. When I tried to do it through ACES, the screen showed a message - "IT Server down. Please try again later. We regret for inconvenience."
I called up the helpdesk number not sure whether someone would answer it - fortunately, they responded - not with a solution but a complaint ticket no.
It is more than three days but the problem continues.
The CBEC field formations were open on Saturday, 28th but could not help me in any manner.
I am wondering, till now, how all are keeping quiet on this issue when the system is non operational with this IT server problem that too for continuously three days during Financial year ending.
I think that the procedure that we followed when I was in service much before the advent of ACES was NEVER DOWN!
I request TIOL through DDT to please take up this issue as far as possible to get it resolved.
Yet another Netizen wrote to us:
Central Excise Department has undergone major changes since last year. Because of creation of new Commissionerates and promotion of staff, the ACES system required major updations and frequent changes. However after four months from the cadre restructuring and departmental reorganization, the ACES system is not working satisfactorily till date. When field staff as well as higher ups are trying their level best to gather the revenue, there are several service providers waiting for Service Tax registrations since last four months. This is because of the reason that after reorganization most of the officers are unable to see the pending position in respect of the Service Tax Registrations. The officers are helpless and the assessee are worried about the huge interest required to be paid on ST payments. It is learnt that Crores of Service Tax payment is trapped between these registrations pending for issuance.
Now March is about to end and if these registrations are not issued within day, there will be setback to the revenue target fixed by the CBEC.
You are requested to take up the issue at right forum in the interest of Nation's revenue.
Here is the heart-rending agony of another Netizen.
The Finance Minister has announced with much fanfare that Excise registration would be issued within two days. But even after two months, I am yet to get a registration, let alone a communication in this regard.
All around there is Revenue drive, but I want to pay excise duty, but being thwarted because of devil may care attitude of the officials. They simply don't care, and are callous to the needs of the industry. It breaks the spirit of the entrepreneur. For a simple registration, I have to wait for two months, and no communication so far. How shameful and regrettable. The high sounding slogan of the Honourable Prime Minister "Make In India" has fallen on deaf ears. But let them not apply brake on entrepreneur endeavour and break our spirits. It is very disheartening. I am running a one man show, if my legitimate application is not honoured and if I am made to run from pillar to post for a simple registration, how the hell I am going to make in India.
In this case, DDT contacted the ADG, Systems and the concerned Commissioner. The Commissioner was very kind to arrange the registration immediately. Another Commissioner whom we tried to contact was very busy in a meeting and his secretary promised that the Commissioner would call back. We are eagerly waiting for a week for that call! We contacted some Commissioners and some ACES officials, all of whom said that there were no pending registration applications and they asked for specific cases, which we were specifically told by many frustrated applicants not to reveal, for obvious reasons.
In his D.O. letter F. No. 201/24/2013-CX.6, dated 03 03 2015 ( - 05 03 2015), the CBEC Advisor Mr. SB Singh told the Chief Commissioners that registration has to be given within two days of application and that pending registrations have to be cleared by 15th March 2015. CCs were required to send a report to the Board on the number of applications pending for more than two days, by 16 th March. They must have all sent their nil reports or not bothered about the advisor's letter.
DDT hopes that the ACES/CBEC/Commissionerates get their act together and do the needful - after all 31st March is the last date for payment of taxes too!