Top tax posts remain vacant

The Union Public Service Commission UPSC which selects members for such jobs sent their recommendations to the ministry of finance close to two months ago, but no action has been taken on them so far.

Among the 15 vacant jobs is that of the Chief Commissioner of Customs in Mumbai, which is currently being held as an additional charge by another officer for the past one month 8212; D K Acharya, chief commissioner central excise is currently holding the customs job as well. The Mumbai region accounts for the bulk of customs revenue in the country and, according to sources, there is a shortfall in tax collections over the targets from this region already. In the first quarter of the year, the shortfall in terms of customs duties from the Mumbai region is Rs 400 crore, while that from excise taxes is Rs 225 crore.

Another top level job which is vacant is that of the Director General of Revenue Intelligence which is the nodal agency for all anti-smuggling and other anti-tax evasion activities in the country. With no new DGRI, the former DGRI, A K Pandey, who is now a member of the CBEC is currently holding the DGRI post as well.