The process of augmenting revenue collection in the state will suffer a major set back as the existing staff strength of income tax officers in Kolkata Zone is low, said the Joint Council of Action of Income Tax Association, an amalgamation of two unions ~ Income Tax Gazetted Officers Association (ITGOA) and Income Tax Employees Federation (ITEF).
Officers from the ITGOA today in a programme said that as per the new cadre restructuring in the income tax department, the Central Board of Direct Taxes allotted additional 20,751 staff members, including officers, to 18 regions across the country, while the Kolkata circle is getting none of the staff members.
Kolkata Zone has a present strength of around 7,100, among which 1,633 members, including officers, will be transferred to other zones. This will affect the collection of revenues. West Bengal, Sikkim and Andaman falls under this zone.
In the last financial year around 25,000 crore in direct taxes was collected from Kolkata zone.
Mr Bhaskar Bhattacharya, All India General Secretary of ITGOA, said that the new cadre restructuring has deprived Kolkata zone in allotting the new officers.
"The new restructuring of cadre will affect the revenue collection in West Bengal. The zones which have maximum number of staff strength are Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bangalore. As a result, West Bengal will be denied the Central grants in the sectors like health, education and infrastructure development if the state sees low collection of direct taxes. The disparity in the cadre distribution happens because some senior officers including some of the Indian Revenue Services prefer to be posted in major cities," Mr Bhattacharya said.
Officers from the ITGOA today in a programme said that as per the new cadre restructuring in the income tax department, the Central Board of Direct Taxes allotted additional 20,751 staff members, including officers, to 18 regions across the country, while the Kolkata circle is getting none of the staff members.
Kolkata Zone has a present strength of around 7,100, among which 1,633 members, including officers, will be transferred to other zones. This will affect the collection of revenues. West Bengal, Sikkim and Andaman falls under this zone.
In the last financial year around 25,000 crore in direct taxes was collected from Kolkata zone.
Mr Bhaskar Bhattacharya, All India General Secretary of ITGOA, said that the new cadre restructuring has deprived Kolkata zone in allotting the new officers.
"The new restructuring of cadre will affect the revenue collection in West Bengal. The zones which have maximum number of staff strength are Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bangalore. As a result, West Bengal will be denied the Central grants in the sectors like health, education and infrastructure development if the state sees low collection of direct taxes. The disparity in the cadre distribution happens because some senior officers including some of the Indian Revenue Services prefer to be posted in major cities," Mr Bhattacharya said.
