The Hindu : Jaswant to vet transfers of revenue officers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 11, 2003

National

National

Jaswant to vet transfers of revenue officers

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 10. The Union Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh, has taken upon himself to vet the proposals for transfer and posting of senior revenue service officers of the rank of Commissioners, Chief Commissioners and Directors-General.

This change in policy has been brought about in the light of the recent scam involving the posting of an income-tax officer allegedly for pecuniary considerations. The Personal Assistant of the then Minister of State for Finance (Revenue), Gingee Ramachandran, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in that case and Mr. Ramachandran resigned from his post following the scam.

As per the new policy, all transfers would be done on the recommendations of a specially-constituted Placement Committee headed by the Chairman of the respective direct and indirect tax boards. The Member (Personnel) and another Member of the Board nominated by the Chairman along with the Joint Secretary in the Revenue Department would constitute the Placement Committee. For all officers below the rank of Commissioner, the Committee would select officers and place them at the disposal of Chief Commissioners of Income Tax and the Commissioners or Directors- General of Customs and Excise for further posting.

However, for the Commissioners, the Chief Commissioners and the Directors-General, the Committee would submit proposals for the approval of the Finance Minister through the Revenue Secretary.

To ensure fairness and equity, the new policy has also categorised stations as A, B and C. The continuous stay of an officer would not exceed six years in class A station, four years in class B and two years in class C.

Similarly, all posts would be categorised either as sensitive or non-sensitive with the stipulation that the normal tenure of an officer on sensitive posts should not exceed three years. The policy also provides for the mandatory rotation between classes of stations and between sensitive and non-sensitive posts.

The policy has provision for compassionate and humane considerations like requests for postings on medical grounds and postings for working couples.

At the same time, in order to fulfil the commitment towards probity in public services, the policy provides for the transfer on administrative grounds and restrictions on postings to class A stations if the Central Vigilance Commission has recommended the initiation of vigilance proceedings.

The new policy will come into full effect from 2004-05 and all transfer orders would be issued by April 30 every year.

For the current year though, the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the Central Board of Excise and Customs have been given the choice of effecting transfers either on the basis of the existing guidelines or in accordance with the new policy.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National