The CBDT has issued a sternly worded directive dated 16th April 2018 stating that a number of complaints are being received in the Tax Payer Services Directorate regarding harassment, misconduct and high handedness of Officers and staff.
It is stated that such incidents damage the image and reputation of the Income Tax Department and dent the efforts of the Department to position itself as a service oriented organization.
All officers and staff have been instructed to deal with the public not only with administrative efficiency but also with the requisite soft skills.
It is stated that the behaviour needs to be impeccable not only in the performance of their official duties but also decorous outside the office.
The provocation for the directive appears to be the reprimand issued by Hon’ble President Kovind that the income-tax department is a “service provider” which should be “sensitive to the demands and dignity of the person”.
“Tax payer is your partner, not your adversary,” the Hon’ble President reminded the income-tax department
Tax payer is your partner, not your adversary. You have a policy and regulatory role, but you are principally a service provider. Please be sensitive to the demands and dignity of the person – the honest tax payer – who is coming to you for a service #PresidentKovind
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 23, 2018
Thanks Hon @rashtrapatibhvn for converting the sentiments to @IncomeTaxIndia to be friendly and sensitive to honest and salaried tax payer. #India
— Ajay (@AJAY_ACCENT) March 24, 2018
Arrogance must go from income tax department. Tax Payers and Tax Collectors must be on equal platform. Tax collectors must mix with people frequently and understand them.
— s k sarda sikkim (@Sikkim1234) March 24, 2018
Sir tax payer is facing harassment by the govt agencies, in different ways, some of the officers behave like he's a criminal
— Farid Ali (@FaridAliAT) March 23, 2018
NEENA KUMAR
PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR GENERALPRINCIPAL DIRECTOR GENERAL OF INCOME-TAX
(ADMN & TPS)
5th Floor, Mayur Bhawan,
Connaught Circus. New Delhi-110001D.O.F.No.Pr. DGIT(Admn. &TPS)/D0/2018-19/
Date: 16.04.2018
Dear
Sub: Misconduct and high handedness by Sr. Officers of the Department-reg.
The Board has constantly impressed upon the officers in the field formations the necessity of soft skills while dealing with taxpayers or their representatives. It is important that the behavior of officers and staff should be courteous, polite and above reproach. However, a number of complaints are being received in the Tax Payer Services Directorate and CBDT regarding harassment, misconduct and high handedness of Officers and staff. Such incidents damage the image and reputation of the Income Tax Department and dent the efforts of the Department to position itself as a service oriented organization.
May I, therefore request you to issue necessary instructions to your officers and staff to deal with public not only with administrative efficiency but also with the requisite soft skills. Their behaviour needs to be impeccable not only in the performance of their official duties but also decorous outside the office. Clause 3 and 3A (extract enclosed) and other applicable rules of the Central Civil Service (CCS) Conduct Rules, 1964 may kindly be reiterated in this regard.
Yours
Neena Kumar
There is a strong notion in the country since ages, that every thing the Govt. does is clumsy except Govt. job. Slowly due to initiatives of PMO and Northblock certain “kam chor” field officers are finding the guidelines issued. These “kam chor” officers ruin the Dept. image. Reason they want fast money, hence no respect to tax payer, bindas life style, casual attitude in work place.Request CBDT, FM and PMO to address this
yes it is (self discipline) required not just in IT dept off course every public/govt. office is owned by public at large ! Now every citizen/public visitor therefore is a part of the owners and not a helpless struggler !!! and the person who holds such office shall not just have such dignity but surely must have courage to exhibit such dignity towards every such visitor ! may be
a. farmer from a village
b. student who runs to get income certificate
c. teacher of a school
d. constable not in uniform
e. advocate/professionals without uniform
f. every neta with uniform/s
all are treated differently in every such visit ! which is a hard truth we are living from a long period.
every such revenue peoples are from our society at large they are displaying our own society ! how the recruitment/promotion/s nomination/s are being done !!!
in simple word discipline comes from with-in shall called SAMSKARA !!
So long as the British Time Discretionary powers are embed in the ACTS & RULES drafted more than 100 years back are removed, officers will have these powers in mind to corrupt. These powers were designed to help BRITISH OFFICERS to suppress people & rule them. They were supposed to be changed as soon as they left. But was never done. Hope the better sense prevails NOW and guts shown to amend the those acts & rules from those of ruling to those of administering
It is true that no body wants to part with their money. Tax is a forced collection for common good. With out tax payers there is no tax department and the officers will not get their monthly pay. This fact should be borne in mind by the collector and payer. The officers are at the mercy of the tax payers and not vice versa. The meaning of service should be re invented by the department. Only then we will become a civilized economy. rates of tax should be substantially low, the maximum, as instructed in Mahabharath , Bhishma Parwa 16%. And it should be extracted as the bees extract honey from flowers.
hopefully department works on such area, else such circulars are as good as other circular and remains simply formalities. We have so many such circulars issued since 1955, hardly any of those have been followed by the Department.