Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has secured the first position in the Grievance Redressal Assessment and Index (GRAI) for September 2025, marking its third consecutive top rank among Group A departments in the CPGRAMS report issued by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances. The achievement reflects the Board’s focus on monitoring grievance pendencies and addressing systemic issues through coordinated efforts, particularly by the Directorate General of Taxpayer Services (DGTS). The Board emphasized the need to reduce the incidence of grievances by engaging proactively with taxpayers and maintaining standardized procedures. An “Open Door Policy” has been introduced to ensure senior officers remain accessible without prior appointments and hold open-house sessions regularly.
The newsletter also reported on the Rajbhasha Sammelan organized by the Directorate General of Performance Management and the Directorate General of Human Resource Management, which celebrated the use of Hindi in official work and recognized the best regional in-house magazines. Additionally, NACIN Bhopal, in collaboration with the National Judicial Academy, conducted a workshop on “Adjudication Skills and Jurisprudence” to enhance officers’ understanding of legal principles and adjudication techniques.
In trade facilitation, the Tiruchirappalli Customs Zone launched the “Thunaivan” portal, a public-private initiative developed by the Apparel Export Promotion Council to support exporters and address trade issues efficiently. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) also reported the interception of a major firecracker smuggling attempt at Nhava Sheva Port, seizing goods worth Rs. 5 crore and preventing illegal imports in line with the Foreign Trade Policy.
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
DO No. 42/News Letter/CH(IC)/2025 |Dated: 21st October, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) has released the 41st Monthly Report on the CPGRAMS for Central Ministries/Departments for September 2025. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has once again topped the Group A category in the Grievance Redressal Assessment and Index (GRAI) rankings – marking a hat-trick of the first position. Heartiest congratulations to all officers of CBIC for this outstanding achievement! Through diligent monitoring of pendencies and identification of systemic issues reflected in grievances, DGTS has also significantly contributed to sustaining CBIC’s top position in the GRAI rankings. This consistency in performance marks the dedication, responsiveness, and commitment of our officers toward citizen-centric service delivery. Let this culture of excellence and prompt grievance redressal continue, making the first rank not just an accomplishment, but a tradition.
While CBIC has consistently ranked among the top in GRAI rankings for disposal of grievances on CPGRAMS portal, it is also felt that efforts must now be directed towards reducing the incidence of grievances altogether. In this direction, the Board has recently issued instructions emphasizing proactive engagement with taxpayers and the adoption of standardised procedures across formations. It has been observed that a taxpayer with a grievance primarily seeks the assurance of being heard and the ability to connect easily with an officer for resolution. To this end, the Board has directed the implementation of an “Open Door Policy”, ensuring that senior officers remain accessible to taxpayers even without prior appointment and hold regular open-house sessions to address their concerns. The Zonal Heads may ensure adherence to the instructions within their jurisdiction.
Last week, Rajbhasha Sammelan was organised by the Directorate General of Performance Management in collaboration with the Directorate General of Human Resource Management. The event celebrated CBIC’s commitment to promoting Hindi in official work with the release of the Board’s in-house magazines — Sanchay, Indraprastha, Maanas, and Srijan — and the unveiling of the book “Shabdon ke Digvijay” by the late Shri Rajkumar Digvijay. Recognising excellence in creative expression, awards were presented to the best regional in-house magazines – DG Export Promotion, New Delhi; CGST Pune-I Commissionerate; and CGST Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Zone which won the first prizes in their respective categories. The Sammelan concluded on a vibrant note with an in-house theatrical performance “Swayamsiddha” showcasing the cultural .spirit and talent of CBIC officers.
NACIN Bhopal, in collaboration with the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, successfully conducted a two-day workshop on “Adjudication Skills & Jurisprudence”. This initiative brought together an extraordinary panel of judiciary alongside distinguished legal experts who shared invaluable insights on constitutional principles of taxation, natural justice in tax assessment proceedings, jurisprudence of tax administration and core judicial values in adjudication. Through meticulously designed sessions incorporating the law of precedents, principles of natural justice, legal drafting essentials, and the art of drafting reasoned judgments, the program facilitated peer learning and interactive deliberations among 53 participating officers, enabling them to engage in meaningful dialogue with eminent jurists and strengthen their adjudicatory competencies.
As part of trade facilitation measure by the Tiruchirappalli Customs (Preventive) Zone, a trade facilitation portal for the trade to interact with Customs for facilitation namely “Thunaivan” was inaugurated in June this year. The portal developed by Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) is a first of its kind Public-Private initiative aimed at hand holding and ease of doing business for the exporters of Tiruppur to ensure quick clearance of export cargo and resolving issues faced by them. The portal also has got escalation mechanism to escalate the issues to the higher ups if not resolved at the first level. So far, over 500 grievances of the trade has been redressed. The portal would also be useful for identifying any policy issues which cannot be redressed at the field level and can be taken up to the Board for resolution.
Making efforts towards a safe and green Diwali, the DRI busted a major firecracker smuggling attempt involving the illegal import of Chinese-origin fireworks. Acting on intelligence, DRI officers intercepted a 40-foot container at Nhava Sheva Port declared as “leggings” and, upon detailed examination, unearthed 46,640 concealed firecrackers valued at about Rs. 5 crore. The operation led to the arrest of a key individual and the recovery of incriminating documents exposing the smuggling network’s modus operandi. The import of firecrackers being restricted under the Foreign Trade Policy, this interdiction underscores DRI’s vigilance in safeguarding public safety and in protecting the integrity of India’s trade ecosystem.
Till next week!
Yours sincerely,
(Sanjay Kumar Agarwal)
All Officers and Staff of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes 86 Customs.
