Taxation Dept staff busy issuing insurance, traders suffer

LUDHIANA: Businessmen and taxation lawyers are a harassed lot as excise and taxation staff, who have been entrusted with the task of issuing insurance cover to businessmen having turnover over Rs 1 crore, are hard to find in their respective offices.

Lights and fans continue to run even as no inspector is sitting in the office of the Excise and Taxation Department in Ludhiana on Tuesday. Photo: Inderjit Verma

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 11

Businessmen and taxation lawyers are a harassed lot as excise and taxation staff, who have been entrusted with the task of issuing insurance cover to businessmen having turnover over Rs 1 crore, are hard to find in their respective offices.

A message sent by AETC- I Rajpal Singh states: “The staff have been occupied in the field in connection with the BPS Insurance scheme. So, maximum ETOs along with their staff will not be available in their respective offices till Friday. So, plan your work accordingly.”

Industrialist have complained that the delay in disposal of their works is causing huge losses to the trade and industry.

Ajit Lakra, head of textile division, Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisation (FICO), who was seen shuttling from one office to another, said: “Businessmen are frustrated as no work has been done in the department for over a week. Businessmen visiting the office for exemption certificate, C- Forms, VAT refunds and assessments are a harassed lot. The government is trying to please whom by killing the trade and industry.”

None of the Excise and Taxation Inspectors was present in the office when The Tribune team visited the department.

“Look at the cruel wastage of national resources. The fans and lights are on since morning but none of the inspectors is sitting in the office. The stamps of the department and crucial files are left on the table unattended and that could be misused,” said businessmen.

Saket Garg, vice-president of the District Taxation Bar Association (Sales Tax-Ludhiana), said: “Businessmen are really suffering these days. It has been nearly a month since VAT refunds of businessmen were approve, but no official is available in the department to release them. Businessmen, whose raw material is stuck at interstate borders due to technical issues, are running from pillar to post to get the issues resolved. But sadly, no official is available to help them out.” said Saket Garg, showing the text message of AETC- I Rajpal.

Sources said excise and taxation officials fromContinued on page 2