Setting up of a Grievance Redressal Mechanism - Service Tax - 5/2012

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS, CENTRAL EXCISE SERVICE TAX, N-5, TOWN CENTRE, CIDCO, AURANGABAD-431030 Trade Notice No. 5/2012 (SR. No. 02/Sevottam/2012), dated 6-11-2012 The Trade, Industry and all stakeholders of the department are informed that the Central Board of Excise and Customs, New Delhi, has formulated Citizen's charter after consulting representatives from Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Industry, PHD Chamber of Commerce Industry, Federation of Indian Exporters Association, Quality Council of India, Container Corporation of India, Delhi Customs Clearing Agents Association, the officers and staff associations of the department with vision to provide an efficient and transparent mechanism for collection of indirect taxes and enforcement of cross border controls with a view to encourage voluntary compliance. 2. In order to handle Grievance in a fair, objective and just manner, an internal machinery is required to be set up in this Commissionerate as downward extension to the grievance redressal system. This Commissionerate has established a single window system at the main entrance, to facilitate speedy disposal of grievance and to take the feedback from all the stake holders. This is monitored by the Public Grievance Officer. 3. In the above manner, Public Grievance redressal efforts are taken in terms of timeliness and single window facility to enhance the customer's satisfaction. Further, as per the commitment made by the Department under the Citizen's charter the following Grievance Redressal mechanism has been kept in place in this Commissionerate at Aurangabad; (a) To promptly acknowledge written grievance within 48 hours of receipt of the same and attempt to provide final reply within 30 working days of the receipt to the applicant/complainant. (b) A Public Grievance Officer has been designated in Aurangabad Commissionerate with whom all complaints and grievances can be taken up. The contact details of the Public Grievance Officer is available in the Commissionerate's website at www.centralexciseAurangabad.gov.in and their name with phone number and address is displayed at entrances and conspicuous places in the office building of the Commissionerate. (c) A Public Grievance Committee has been set up for taking up Common complaints grievances and necessary feedback would be up taken to strengthen Public Grievance Mechanism of the Commissionerate. 4. The grievances of serious nature are closely monitored until their final disposal and grievance redressed is communicated to the applicant. In the process of handling the Public Grievances in Aurangabad Commissionerate, we envisage the following Grievance prone areas, analysis them and recommend measures to eliminate causes of such Grievances. The grievances are primarily divided into three categories; I. Complaints of corrupt practices against officers II. Grievances against merits of the decision taken by officers. III. Delay in decision making by officers 5. For handling complaints against corrupt practices by the officers, the department has a separate vigilance set up called Directorate General of Vigilance handled by Director General. Any complaints of corruption against the officer can be lodged with the D.G. Vigilance at New Delhi or the Zonal units of the Directorate of Vigilance. A complaint handling policy has also been formulated by the Central Board of Excise and Customs. To handle such complaints the Vigilance section of this Commissionerate handles such complaints of this Commissionerate. 6. For redressal of grievances against the merits of a decision taken by an officer, the Central Excise and Customs law itself provides for remedial measures in the form of appeals, revisions etc. Any adjudication order passed by an officer contains a preamble indicating the authority to whom the appeal can be made and the procedure thereof and the details of the mechanism for appeals, revisions the relevant provisions in the Customs and Excise law may be referred to. 7. For other types of grievances including delays in decision making, administrative machinery the Public Grievance officer in this Commissionerate may be contacted/referred to. 7.1 The Additional Commissioner(P V), Central Excise, Aurangabad has been designated as the Public Grievance Redressal Officer for the Head Quarters Office and the Divisional ACs/DCs have been designated as Public Grievance Redressal Officer for the respective Division Offices under the Commissionerate of Central Excise, Aurangabad, with whom all complaints and grievances can be taken up. The contact details of the Public Grievance Redressal Officer is available in the Commissionerate's website at www.centralexciseaurangabad.gov.in. 7.2 A Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System(CPGRAMS) is already available for the stakeholders to lodge complaints. This system is being monitored by the Commissioner of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, Aurangabad himself on a day to day basis and action is initiated without delay. The system is also being monitored at higher levels in the department. Under CPGRAMS, an online acknowledgement along with registration number is received by the complainant immediately on submission. The status of the complaint is also available on the CPGRAMS system. The documented procedure under SEVOTTAM as per CPGRAMS is laid down in SQM 3.2.3 and 3.2.1.11. 8. This Commissionerate of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, Aurangabad, has also designated an officer as Public Relations Officer (PRO) who can be approached for seeking information on any technical or administrative matter. 9. It is further informed that for delays in decision making on the part of any officer of this Commissionerate (such as delay in grant of permissions, sanction of refunds, drawback etc.) the aggrieved person is advised to meet the Commissioner and or Additional Commissioners. 10. If any stakeholder is not satisfied with the response of the field officers and he/she still has grievances, he/she could approach the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, Nagpur Zone, Nagpur, who is also the appellate authority for such Grievance Redressal. (KUMAR SANTOSH) [F. No. VGN (30) 9/INSP/2011]