Finance Ministry restructures indirect taxes formations

NEW DELHI: The Finance Ministry today restructure indirect taxes formations with a view to provide better tax payer services and deepen the tax base.

"The restructuring of formations is aimed creating larger number of compact commissionerates, by reorganising the existing commissionerates. This shall provide better tax payer services and deepen the tax base," a Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) statement said.

The CBEC has implemented the cadre restructuring of the Indirect Taxes formations, with effect from October 15, it said.

On account of growth in service tax over the last decade, four exclusive zones for the tax have been created in metro cities and the number of service tax commissionerates have been increased from 7 to 22.

Similarly with expansion of ports, the number of Customs Commissionerates has gone up from 34 to 60.

In the context of self assessment, the department is also laying emphasis on non-intrusive controls by creating 45 audit commissionerates.

Trade notices have been issued by the Chief Commissioners, for information of the trade and assesses, it said.

"There may be some teething troubles on account of reorganised jurisdictions. Trade may bring to notice of the department any issues they are facing so that timely resolution can take place," it added.

Indirect tax collections inched up by 5.8 per cent in the April-September period of this fiscal.

Indirect tax collections, comprising excise, customs and service tax, stood at Rs. 2,41,811 crore in the first six months of 2014-15 fiscal as against Rs. 2,28,619 crore in the corresponding period a year ago.