SMS Service - Novel Project of Nagpur Commissioner (Appeals)
THE Nagpur Central Excise Commissioner (Appeals), Neeraj Kansal has launched a laudable project, which received the special attention of the Revenue Secretary in the recently held Gyan Sangam.
Complaints from Trade and Industry:
1. Long distance of the office of Commissioner (Appeals), Nagpur from Nasik & Aurangabad (Distance between Nagpur & Aurangabad/Nasik is nearly 700 Kms)
2. Delay faced in getting /not getting acknowledgement of appeals filed by them.
3. Non-receipt of personal hearing letters in time or at all
4. No acknowledgement of request of changing the date of personal hearing.
5. No timely Intimation regarding an order - in - original having been challenged by the department.
6. Delay in getting Order-in-appeal.
The Solution: Short Messaging Service (SMS)
The Commissioner sends SMS for different situations as:
a) Receipt of appeal: After an appeal is received from an appellant and a number assigned to the same, the following message shall be sent:
We are in receipt of your Appeal against Order in Original No.xx /2016 dated XX.XX.2016 & it has been registered on XX.XX.2016 as Appeal No. NGP/XXX/2016. Neeraj Kansal Commissioner (Appeals), Customs, C.Excise & Service Tax, Nagpur.
b) Date of Personal Hearing: On according the date for personal hearing by the Commissioner(Appeals), the following message is sent:
With reference to your Appeal No. NGP/XXX/2016, Personal Hearing in the Office of Commissioner (Appeals) has been fixed on XX.XX.2016 at XX.XX Hrs.
c) Request for postponement of personal hearing: On receipt of a request for change in date of personal hearing from an appellant, an acknowledgment message is sent.
With reference to Appeal No. NGP/XXX/2015, your request for adjournment of Personal Hearing scheduled for XX.XX.2016 is acknowledged. Fresh date for the same shall be intimated soon.
d) Issuance of final Order-in-Appeal: On issuance of the final Order-in-Appeal, even before its dispatch by Speed-Post, the following message is sent:
With reference to your Appeal No. NGP/XXX/2016, Commissioner (Appeals) has passed the final Order in Appeal on XX.XX.2016. The same shall reach you by Speed Post shortly.
e) On filing of Appeal by the Department: On receipt of an appeal from the Department, an intimation of the same is sent to the assessee to whom the Order-in-Original pertains.
We are in receipt of an Appeal against Order in Original No./2016 dated XX.XX.2016in case of M/s .... &it has been registered on XX.XX.2016as Appeal No. NGP/XXX/2016.
- A public notice has been issued requesting the trade and industry to furnish their mobile no. while filing the appeals (Optional)
- For the past appeals, mobile no. is taken during the personal hearing and a database is being built.
- Appellants appreciate acknowledgement of appeals and request for change in PH - Symbols of a responsive administration.
- They approach this office if final order - in - appeal is not received within few days of receipt of SMS.
- All malpractices during the time span between signing of the order till its receipt by the appellant are eradicated.
- Physical dispatch of personal hearing notices dispensed with where both emails and SMSs are sent reducing paperwork and saving money as also no complaints regarding non Receipt of personal hearing letters in time.
- The SMS service is supplemented by putting on website the details of pending appeals and disposals during the month.
- To elicit feedback / conduct survey from the appellants, it is proposed to set up a whatsapp group of the major appellants for the same.
And how much do you think the whole project costs? Less than 70 rupees per month!
Great Job Mr. Neeraj Kansal!
Several other Commissionerates are inspired and are following the Nagpur Model.
Cochin Custom House has started a Short Messaging Service (SMS) in the refund and drawback wing from 1 st July 2016 to disseminate information related to various aspects of processing of refund and drawback claims.
SMS will be sent to the applicants/claimants of refund/supplementary drawback and brand rate drawback claims when the claim is registered, opportunity for personal hearing is given and when the final order is issued. In case any deficiency memo is issued this would also be intimated by SMS.
Kakinada Central Excise Commissionerate has launched an ambitious e-Sampark programme. The transmission of message/text/documents will be electronic via e-mail and no hard copy follows except in specified exceptional circumstances. This Commissionerate has issued a Standing Order with very important instructions:
1. Every officer should check his/her official e-mail account once in few hours - at least 3-4 times a day.
2. any of those officers and sections who are still using private/third party e-mails informally for official communications shall stop the same forthwith. Any use of private e-mail by officers/sections for official communications should be totally avoided.
3. Superintendent in charge of Central Excise and Service Tax technical sections shall check the website of CBEC in the first hour every day for any new and important notifications/circulars etc. and forward the same to AC/DC (ACES) who will broadcast the gist of such notifications/circular through bulk SMS to all assessees.
Nice things seem to be happening. Next time you get a greeting message in your mobile, don't be shocked, it could be from your Commissioner - the Nagpur Commissioner already has a template for greetings.