The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) recently launched a nationwide Behavioral Sensitization Program to strengthen the professional sensitivity and responsiveness of its workforce. Under Mission Karmayogi’s values, the initiative aims to improve service delivery through empathy and a citizen-centric approach. This training program, covering all 32 zones, targets over 35,000 officials up to the Deputy Commissioner level and is expected to conclude by December. Additionally, CBIC hosted the six-week WCO Regional Customs Laboratory Professionals Programme at the Central Revenues Control Laboratory in New Delhi, enhancing technical capabilities in customs administration for WCO member countries.
In line with Special Campaign 4.0, CBIC’s Delhi units conducted a large-scale destruction of contraband, including foreign cigarettes and various narcotics worth an estimated Rs. 460 crore. This operation supports CBIC’s commitment to preventing illegal imports and promoting environmental responsibility. Furthermore, an anti-evasion operation by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) in Kanpur uncovered a tax evasion case involving the clandestine manufacturing of Pan Masala and tobacco, with an estimated tax liability of Rs. 12 crore. The company admitted to evasion and made a Rs. 10 crore deposit toward their liability, showcasing CBIC’s continued efforts in regulatory enforcement and anti-evasion initiatives.
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
DO No. 44/News Letter/CH(IC)/2024 Dated: 28th October, 2024
Dear Colleague
During the National Learning Week, CBIC has launched the nationwide rollout of a Behavioral Sensitization Program, representing a significant step toward enhancing the skills and sensitivity of its workforce. This initiative aligns with the philosophy of Mission Karmayogi – “Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha” which translates to Tor one’s own liberation and for the well-being of the world’. By prioritizing behavioral skills and sensitivity, CBIC reaffirms its commitment to professional development and the broader vision of improved governance and service delivery. This program, inaugurated with 52 batches across all 32 zones, is set to train more than 35,000 executive officials upto the level of Deputy Commissioner. The program has been designed to ensure a comprehensive approach to fostering empathy, responsiveness, and a service-oriented mindset among CBIC personnel. It goes without saying that the collaboration between NACIN Zonal Training Institutes (ZTIs) and all CBIC zones will be crucial for the program’s success and timely completion by December this year.
Adding to CBIC’s advancements in capacity building, a six-week WCO Regional Customs Laboratory Professionals Programme was inaugurated last week at the Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL), New Delhi. This specialized programme, organized in collaboration with the World Customs Organization (WCO), seeks to enhance the technical skills of customs laboratory professionals from WCO member countries and reinforces India’s role in global fora for excellence in customs administration.
As part of the ongoing Special Campaign 4.0 and in line with ongoing efforts to combat the illegal importation of contraband goods, the Delhi Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate and the Customs (Airport and General) Commissionerate jointly carried out a large-scale destruction operation. This operation involved the disposal of approximately 49 lakh foreign-origin cigarettes, around 73 Kgs of NDPS drugs (including Heroin, Cocaine, Ganja, etc.), as well as Gutkha, Pan Masala, and e-cigarettes, all of which were seized under various Acts. With an estimated value of Rs. 460 crore, these goods were destroyed at a waste management facility in Delhi in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
In a recent anti-evasion operation, DGGI Lucknow Zonal Unit, acting on specific intelligence, unearthed a big case of clandestine manufacture and supply of Pan Masala and Tobacco in Kanpur, having tax implication of about Rs 12 crore so far. The officials acted in a coordinated manner to conduct searches at the residential premises of the brand owner, director, key distributor, dealers, cash handler, and factory sites resulting in the seizure of evidence of unaccounted supplies along with a live consignment of clandestinely cleared goods. Upon confrontation, the directors of the firm admitted to the clandestine clearances and voluntarily deposited Rs 10 crore in cash via DRC-03 toward their tax liability. The swift action by the investigating officers is indeed admirable!
Until next week!
Yours sincerely,
(Sanjay Kumar Agarwal)
All Officers and Staff of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes 85 Customs.
