Cabinet secretariat to hear taxpayer, trader grievances on tax, customs
New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at enhancing citizen-centric governance and ease of doing business through better grievance redressal, the government has brought both the income tax department and customs-related matters under the purview of its central public grievance system, a government notification said on Monday.
This means that taxpayers or importers/exporters facing issues such as delays, harassment, or poor service from these departments can now file their complaints with the Directorate of Public Grievances (DPG), which functions under the Cabinet Secretariat.
The decision is expected to improve government accountability and ensure faster resolution of complaints. Until now, such grievances had to be addressed within the respective departments.
Also read: Smuggled gold, toys, gadgets spur customs reform push
The notification marks a major administrative step in improving public service delivery in two of the most sensitive arms of revenue administration.
According to the official order, the Directorate of Public Grievances—constituted in March 1988 to handle public complaints relating to select central government departments—will now also handle grievances related to the Income Tax Department and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), specifically covering customs-related issues.
'With the approval of the competent authority, the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Public Grievances is extended to the Department of Revenue (Income Tax) and CBIC (Customs-related issues)," the notification stated.
According to a senior government official, the decision is part of a broader push towards responsive and accountable governance. 'The Directorate, which functions under the Cabinet Secretariat, is mandated to take up individual cases of hardship or inaction in public service delivery and can recommend corrective action at the highest levels," this official said.
Public grievance redressal has gained renewed attention in recent years, with rising concerns over taxpayer services and procedural hurdles in customs clearances, especially in the wake of India's efforts to improve its ease of doing business rankings.
The directorate already covers departments such as posts, railways and telecommunications and the latest expansion is seen as a signal of the government's intent to bring critical public interfaces under greater scrutiny and accountability.
'It's a well-thought-out move by the government to empower both citizens and traders who often face issues with these two departments. Now, they will have a better grievance mechanism to reach out and get their cases resolved," said Dattesh Parulekar, assistant professor of international relations at Goa University.
However, a Gurgaon-based textiles exporter, who wished not to be named, said the move will provide significant relief to traders who often struggle to get their GST refunds and have to run from pillar to post to get their issues addressed.
Also read: Income Tax: Advance tax first instalment is due by June 15. Check if you are liable to pay
Union minister of state (independent charge) for personnel Jitendra Singh had said in a written reply in Lok Sabha on 2 April that of over 29 lakh public grievances received by the government through a dedicated online platform, around 26.45 lakh were redressed in 2024.
The complaints were received on the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)—an online platform where citizens can raise complaints.
Also read: Sitharaman to review ease of doing business, trade and tax refunds
'A total of 1,15,52,503 grievances were redressed from 2020-2024 and an annual all-time high of 26,45,869 grievances (90.5%) have been redressed on CPGRAMS portal from January-December, 2024," Singh had said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Hedge Fund Up 42% Last Year Offloads Its Biggest Winner Nvidia
(Bloomberg) -- Hedge fund founder Jonah Cheng calls Nvidia Corp. the best pick of his career. But he has now sold the last of his shares in the company, expressing doubts about the outlook for the $3.5 trillion chipmaker. The former UBS Group AG analyst, whose tech-focused fund generated returns of 42% last year, was among the investors who rode Nvidia's breakneck rise over the past decade. It was one of the first stocks he bought when he set up the Captain Global Fund in 2016, and he has reinvested multiple times since then. Cheng sold his Nvidia shares in the first quarter, based on worries about delays connected to its GB200 racks. He points to inventory risks, a lack of upward revisions to earnings forecasts, competition from custom-designed chips and wider questions about the pace of spending from cloud computing companies as reasons he is avoiding the stock. 'I really like Nvidia, which is the stock that helped me make the most money in my life,' said Cheng, whose fund has around $100 million of assets under management. 'But when I need to sell, I need to sell. You can't fall in love with a stock.' Nvidia's shares have jumped more than 1,400% over the past five years, and it remains overwhelmingly favored by analysts. But a few skeptics are emerging. Seaport Global Securities gave the stock a rare sell rating on April 30, pointing to the odds of slowing AI budgets in 2026. Michael Burry, famous for his 'big short' against the US housing market, loaded up on bearish options on Nvidia earlier this year, although that may have been a hedge. Read: Can Nvidia Keep Growing? Markets Don't Care: John Authers Still, the Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker is a hard stock to bet against. Although Nvidia tumbled in the first quarter as surprising progress from China's DeepSeek roiled tech stocks, it has now recouped all of its losses to trade up around 6% this year, based on Friday's close. Signs of a detente between China and the US have helped, easing one of the biggest headaches for global chipmakers. Cheng, a star chip sector analyst at UBS before he become a hedge fund manager, said he hasn't become a long-term bear on Nvidia. He would still buy the stock if the company revised its earnings outlook higher, and says he hasn't taken a short position on Nvidia. Cheng also sold his shares in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest contract chipmaker, in late 2024. He cited geopolitical risks, as well as the lack of visibility about spending plans from cloud service providers. He currently favors smaller companies that supply to the tech giants. Among his top picks: AI server makers Celestica Inc. and Wiwynn Corp., cooling product manufacturer Asia Vital Components Co. and cable maker Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd. More stories like this are available on
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Regulate bike taxis, don't ban them, cries Bengaluru
1 2 Bengaluru: As the ban on bike taxis comes into effect here, citizens, commuters, and mobility experts are urging the govt to reconsider its decision, seeking a regulatory framework, instead, that will help integrate bike taxis into the city's mobility system. Bike taxis have become a vital part of Bengaluru's transport ecosystem, especially for last-mile connectivity. Low-income workers, students, and gig economy participants have come to rely on these as an affordable alternative to costlier transport modes. "Rather than taking this away, the govt must work on enabling a legal framework — defining vehicle guidelines, rider training norms, insurance, and passenger safety protocols," said Malini Rithesh, a tech employee from Mahadevapura. Citizens argue that the move affects daily wage earners and gig workers, many of whom depend on the service for supplemental income. "In my locality, factory workers and domestic helps rely on these daily. Delivery boys also use bike taxis. For just Rs 40-50, people can travel 5-7 km quickly. Why should affordable solutions be shut down?" Ravi S, a commuter, questioned. Several others took to social media to voice their concern about the economic impact of the ban. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo One X user, @Bengalururains, posted: "I've met many UG and PG students from rural backgrounds, who use bike taxis as part-time jobs to pay for food, rent, and education. The govt is hurting their right to survive." Jayanagar resident Preethi Nandakumar criticised what she described as a lack of long-term planning. "They hike prices of water, milk, bus, Metro, and now they take away simple options that make people's lives easier. Where's the long-term vision?" Transport experts have urged the govt to use this moment to draft a forward-looking urban mobility policy. Suggestions include issuing structured licences for bike taxi services, ensuring safety norms for riders and passengers, and integrating such services with public transport through data-sharing mechanisms. "Bike taxis are not just about convenience — they represent micro-entrepreneurship. The govt must regulate, not retaliate," said a transport researcher from a Bengaluru-based think tank.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Karnataka high court declines to bin CBI case againstCEO of US-based defence supplier
Bengaluru: The high court has declined to quash criminal proceedings against the president and CEO of California-based Akon Inc in a CBI case related to the supply of allegedly defective engines to an Indian defence establishment. Surya Sareen, named as accused no. 4, had sought to have the proceedings quashed, denying his direct involvement in the case. Justice M Nagaprasanna held that the case presents a prima facie instance of offences under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code (IPC), involving disputed and documented facts that require examination during trial. The matter stems from a global tender floated on March 23, 2007, by the Defence Avionics Research Establishment (Dare), a Bengaluru-based lab of DRDO. Akon secured the contract and received a purchase order on July 11, 2007. According to the contract, 90% of the payment was to be made through a SBI line of credit upon delivery, with the balance payable after technical approval. Akon delivered 35 units between Feb 19 and 27, 2009, and Dare acknowledged receipt by March 11, 2009. However, concerns about irregularities in shipment emerged, prompting a CBI inquiry. Between 2009 and 2011, correspondence was exchanged among Akon, other accused parties and Dare regarding technical issues with the supplied equipment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo On March 16, 2012, Dare filed a complaint with the director (vigilance) highlighting procurement irregularities and unauthorised payments. Following an investigation, CBI filed a chargesheet on Dec 12, 2022. A special judge subsequently issued a summons to the accused on June 5, 2023. Sareen argued that no specific allegations of conspiracy were substantiated. He also raised concerns about delays in the investigation and maintained that Akon had multiple shareholders, questioning the attribution of liability to him individually. CBI maintained that Sareen, in his capacity as president of Akon, had knowingly supplied non-functional VO-based radio frequency engines, thereby misleading Dare. The agency also submitted that delays in the investigation were due to the sensitive nature of the case and prolonged communication with various parties. In his order, Justice Nagaprasanna observed that delays were justifiable given the international scope of the probe. He further noted that the presence of potential civil remedies does not preclude criminal proceedings, especially where both civil and criminal aspects coexist.
