With the government giving a go-ahead to cadre restructuring of the central board of direct taxes (CBDT), the clamour for a similar exercise in the central board of excise and customs (CBEC), another arm of the finance ministry’s department of revenue, is increasing.

The delay, CBEC official said, is a clear case of discrimination against them. 

“Although our proposal was cleared by the expenditure secretary about a week ago, it is stuck at the DoPT for no reason,” said Ravi Malik, general secretary of all-India association of central excise gazetted executive officers.

“It is a clear case of discrimination against the customs and excise department although it comes under the same ministry as the income tax,” he added.
The finance ministry issued the orders of cadre restructuring of CBDT on May 31. As part of the directive, 20,751 new positions have been created. The restructuring of the CBEC cadre, meanwhile, has been stuck for a while now.

CBEC officials said the government’s overt discrimination stems from departments dealing with indirect taxes, like customs and excise, as opposed to the income tax department that deals with direct taxes and has the power to go after anyone, including bureaucrats and ministers.

“Income tax officials have to be kept in good humour always, you see,” Malik said.

The CBEC restructuring, as and when it happens, will see increase the strength of group-B gazetted executive from the present 13,948 to 19,108, and group B non-gazetted executives from 20,163 to 25,203.  

The government had earlier cleared the way for cadre restructuring of income tax on May 31. What is remarkable about the restructuring in CBDT is the creation of 26 new positions in the ‘apex scale’ (drawing a salary of Rs 80,000).

Until now the apex scale was only reserved for full secretaries of the government of India, special secretaries, and heads of police and forest forces in the country, besides members and chairman of the central board of direct taxes (CBDT). 

Along with creation of 26 new positions, the new order has also redesignated existing chief commissioner of income tax (CCIT) as principal commissioner of income Tax (PCIT), a new nomenclature.

The total number of PCIT now approved is 300.