Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
North Block, New Delhi-110 001
Tel. : +91-11-23092849, Fax : +91-11-23092890
E-mail : vivekjohri.irs@gov.in
Vivek Johri, Chairman
DO No. 01/CH(IC)/2023 Dated: 03rd April, 2023
As the the financial year turns anew, it is an opportunity for us to reflect on the past and set ourselves goals for the future. We begin the new financial year, with happy tidings – the gross GST revenue collected for the month of March 2023 stood at Rs.1,60,122 Crore. Next only to April 2022, this is the second highest GST collection ever. We have also been successful in achieving the Revised Estimates for Customs Duty collections for the year.
Encomiums are in order for all formations of CBIC for their hard work and dedication. I am sure that we will continue to keep working in the same vein to surpass the high bars that we set for ourselves.
Last week, orders were issued posting Probationers from the 72nd and 73rd Batch of Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) to our field formations. As you embark on your professional careers, I would urge you to imbibe the qualities of hard work, imagination and most of all humility.
You are our future and you will be helming the organization through a period of profound and immense change. As your teams look up to you for leadership, not only would you need to believe in yourself but also have them believe in you.
You would need to work hard. You can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets. Most of all, no matter what situation you find yourself in, always be humble and never judge your successes by the successes of others.
The week gone by also saw the release of a book titled, ‘DHAROHAR. The book is a compilation, curated by Officer Trainees of the 73rd Batch and features details of antiquities and other ethnographic objects seized by our field formations and presently displayed at Dharohar: National Museum of Customs & GST in Panaji, Goa.
Last week saw the inauguration of the Customs Detector Dog Unit and K9 Building at the Inland Container Depot, Tughlakabad – the first ICD in the country to deploy a Narcotics Dog Squad. The squad will significantly bolster our capabilities for detecting such contraband secreted in containers. Congratulations to Chief Commissioner, Delhi Customs Zone and her team for their initiative.
On the Anti-Evasion side, the week gone by was rather eventful. Officers of Delhi CGST Zone detected a case of wrongful availment of input tax credit and non-deposit of GST collected from customers in the course of Audit. More than Rs. 27 Crore has since been recovered. Cases such as these go a long way in showcasing the salience of our Audit functions.
On the anti-smuggling side, officers of Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kolkata detected a Royal Bengal Tiger skin with intact teeth and nails and a pair of Black Buck Antlers attempted to be smuggled out across our eastern borders. As we celebrate 50 years of Project Tiger, such cases underscore the vital role that we play in safeguarding the flora and fauna of the country. Kudos to the officers for their dedication.
Before I sign off for the week, I would like to share about a calendar on the theme of wildlife brought out by Chennai Customs Zone to commemorate 60 years of the Customs Act, 1962. The calendar features wildlife photographs by Sh. S. Prabhakaran, an IRS (C&IT) officer from the 2016 batch. Keep up the good work Prabhakaran!
Till next week!
Yours Sincerely,
(Vivek Johri)
All Officers and Staff of Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
