Press Trust of India | New Delhi October 10, 2016
The Centre has warned employees of disciplinary action if they indulge in criticism of the government or its policies.
The move comes after officers of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and
Central Excise) and All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted
Executive Officers, among others, suggested changes in Goods and
Services Tax Network (GSTN), a private company tasked with creating
information technology infrastructure for the goods and services tax
(GST), and composition of Revenue Secretary-led GSTcouncil secretariat.
“Of late, it has been noticed that some associations or federations have
commented adversely on the government and its policies. It may be
brought to the notice of all associations or federations that if anyone
indulges in criticism of the government and its policies, appropriate
action (including disciplinary action) shall be taken,” an order issued
recently by finance ministry said.
It cited service rules that bar any government servant from making any
adverse criticism of any policy or action of the government.
“No government servant shall, in any radio broadcast, telecast through
any electronic media or in any document published in his own name or
anonymously, pseudonymously or in the name of any other person or in any
communication to the press or in any public utterance, make any
statement of fact or opinion which has the effect of an adverse
criticism of any current or recent policy or action of the central
government or state government,” the service rules say.
Citing existing norms, the finance ministry said the primary objective
of the service associations is to promote common service interest of its
members.
The ministry asked chief commissioners and directors general concerned
to ensure that only recognised employees associations get the benefits
mentioned in the rules.
All recognised service associations or federations are entitled for
certain benefits such as correspondence and meetings with the head of
administrative departments, provision of accommodation for the
association subject to availability, facility of special casual leave up
to 20 days in a year to office-bearers of associations and payment of
Travelling Allowance and Dearness Allowance for attending officially
sponsored meetings.
“In the case of service associations or federations which are not
recognised or whose recognition has expired, office-bearers of such
associations or federations shall not be entitled for these benefits,”
the finance ministry said.
Besides service associations, Bharatiya Janata Party Member of
Parliament Subramanian Swamy has also been opposing majority stake for
private entities in GSTN and has already written to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi objecting to this.
The central government holds 24.5 per cent stake in GSTN, while state governments together hold another 24.5 per cent.
The remaining 51 per cent equity is with non-government financial
institutions, like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and LIC Housing Finance.
“Management of GSTN be entrusted to Directorate General, Systems of
Central Board of Excise and Customs, as GSTN is a newly created special
purpose vehicle, which does not have any experience in implementing any
IT project or domain knowledge in Indirect Tax laws,” the IRS
association had said in a statement.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime
Minister, had recently approved ‘Project Saksham’, a new indirect tax
network (systems integration) of the Central Board of Excise and Customs
(CBEC).
The total project cost involved is Rs 2,256 crore, which will be incurred over a period of seven years.
Source : http://www.business-standard.com
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