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
DO No. 32/CH(IC)/2022
11th July, 2022
“If you missed the train I’m on,
You will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles;
A hundred miles, a hundred miles
A hundred miles, a hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles…”
Hedy West’s evocative lyrics reflecting hope, anticipation and ambition rings true, as we cross yet another bridge on our journey towards the new campus of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN).
Last week, preparatory work on a new 32 km line connecting Palasamudram to Yelahanka, Bengaluru on the existing Bengaluru-Penugonda Broad Gauge Line was initiated. This will greatly enhance the connectivity to the upcoming NACIN campus and would also help accelerate the development of the entire region.
Moving on, I visited the Directorate of System & Data Management to review the status of their projects, last week. Given the inseparability of the Department from its IT backbone, the Directorate in many ways is the nerve center of our day-to-day working. I am happy to note that the Directorate has made rapid strides in adopting the latest technologies and in coming up with novel initiatives that have won us plaudits not just domestically but overseas as well.
In particular, the ACES-GST system is absolutely critical to the functioning of our GST Administration. The good news is that most of the modules for the key business processes have now been launched post development & testing and are now waiting to be tested by the field formations. However, the utilization rate continues to be below par. I would urge all of you make full use of the functionalities provided by the system and to share your feedback and suggestions with the Directorate so as to ensure that the system is constantly evolving.
Last week also saw the launch of three new data science models in ADVAIT for analyzing HSN Mismatch between inputs and outputs for traders; an AI/ML based model for predicting anomalous behavior of registrants and a Multi-Hopping Segmentation Model to identify risky importers. Further, a ‘Know your Taxpayers’ dashboard was also launched. The dashboard provides enhanced visibility to the profile of a registered taxpayer in one place.
Robust hardware is a natural adjunct of a strong software backbone. A few months back, Directorate of Logistics had initiated a process of procuring over 2000 laptops for Group B officers of CBIC. Distribution of the laptops to field formations has now started. I hope these laptops, especially in Audit formations, will be used optimally to help build a more data driven organization.
The week gone by also saw the promotion of 13 officers of the 1989 Batch of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) to the grade of Chief Commissioner/Director General of Customs & Indirect Taxes. Many Congratulations to the promoted officers and best wishes for their new assignments.
Before I sign out for the week, I would like to share about an initiative taken by the Officer Trainees (OTs) of the 2021 Batch presently undergoing training at NACIN. The Social Service Committee of the OTs organized a visit to the National Association of the Blind Hostel at New Delhi where they interacted with over 150 students.
It is indeed heart-warming to note that from their own contributions, the OTs were able to donate Braille Chess Sets, school bags and lunchboxes to the students. A highlight of the visit was the interaction of a specially-abled (visually impaired) OT, Ms. Pooja Kadam, who motivated the students of the Hostel by sharing her experiences. Keep up the good work, Team NACIN. You inspire us all!
Till next week!
Yours Sincerely,
(Vivek Johri)
All Officers and Staff of Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
