‘Learn to speak with each other to check tax evasion,’ PC advises Govt agencies
On the occasion of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), 56th Founding Day ceremony on Thursday, Chidambaram said: ‘The agencies should share information with the DRI and the later should also share their information with other agencies who are tasked with collecting one tax or other or enforcing one law or the other.’
While stressing that these agencies must learn to work in a close co-ordination with each other, Chidambaram said: ‘They should learn to speak with each other. I know that mass of information lies in Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), PAN data base, in the registration that we require for excise and service tax for exporters and importer and with the depositories in the capital market etc. I am worried that much of their efforts will go in vain, if the information is not shared on need to know basis.’
Presently there are 532 officers and staff in the intelligence wing of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) and the staff strength of DRI will be double when cadre review will be completely rolled out. Recently, the Cabinet has cleared the cadre review, making way to fill another 18,067 posts in coming days.
The finance minister claimed that importance of technology cannot be ruled out especially in the agency like DRI through. ‘Through technology, such organisations can change and re-engineer in a short span of time. The DRI should focus on right kind of person and their training, which should be in a right direction so that there could be maximum use of technology,’ he noted.
Commenting on Bali issue, Chidambaram said: ‘Trade facilitation is the catch word during discussions in the WTO meeting in Bali. We want trade to bloom. We want trade to expand rapidly. We must go across national boundaries. That is the only way to keep the world economy going and that is why we have supported the trade facilitation.’
Adding more to the World Trade Organisation meeting, he said that prevention and deterrence against smuggling, fake currency notes, drug trafficking is the other side of the trade facilitation.
While elaborating more about trade facilitation, the finance minister said, ‘Anything that goes through illegal or illegitimate channels, that is anti-trade. Any steps or any measures that we take to prevent illegal trade, to prevent illegitimate activities, actually facilitate trade and that is in-fact trade facilitation.’ Later, the Finance Minister released a Coffee Table Book on DRI titled When the mind is without fear.
Sumit Bose, Finance Secretary, who was also present on the occasion, said that DRI is known for hard work and integrity of its officers and staff. ‘I would like to tell all of them to maintain it and further build on the integrity of the organisation in future as well.’ Praveen Mahajan, chairperson, Central Board of Excise and Customs and Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Finance were also present.
While stressing that these agencies must learn to work in a close co-ordination with each other, Chidambaram said: ‘They should learn to speak with each other. I know that mass of information lies in Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), PAN data base, in the registration that we require for excise and service tax for exporters and importer and with the depositories in the capital market etc. I am worried that much of their efforts will go in vain, if the information is not shared on need to know basis.’
Presently there are 532 officers and staff in the intelligence wing of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) and the staff strength of DRI will be double when cadre review will be completely rolled out. Recently, the Cabinet has cleared the cadre review, making way to fill another 18,067 posts in coming days.
The finance minister claimed that importance of technology cannot be ruled out especially in the agency like DRI through. ‘Through technology, such organisations can change and re-engineer in a short span of time. The DRI should focus on right kind of person and their training, which should be in a right direction so that there could be maximum use of technology,’ he noted.
Commenting on Bali issue, Chidambaram said: ‘Trade facilitation is the catch word during discussions in the WTO meeting in Bali. We want trade to bloom. We want trade to expand rapidly. We must go across national boundaries. That is the only way to keep the world economy going and that is why we have supported the trade facilitation.’
Adding more to the World Trade Organisation meeting, he said that prevention and deterrence against smuggling, fake currency notes, drug trafficking is the other side of the trade facilitation.
While elaborating more about trade facilitation, the finance minister said, ‘Anything that goes through illegal or illegitimate channels, that is anti-trade. Any steps or any measures that we take to prevent illegal trade, to prevent illegitimate activities, actually facilitate trade and that is in-fact trade facilitation.’ Later, the Finance Minister released a Coffee Table Book on DRI titled When the mind is without fear.
Sumit Bose, Finance Secretary, who was also present on the occasion, said that DRI is known for hard work and integrity of its officers and staff. ‘I would like to tell all of them to maintain it and further build on the integrity of the organisation in future as well.’ Praveen Mahajan, chairperson, Central Board of Excise and Customs and Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Finance were also present.