Grievance Redressal - CBDT to set up 58 more ASK Centres in current fiscal

Idea and policy of establishment of ASK Centres to address grievances of Tax Payers is very good and appreciable. But the question is whether the ASK Centres, which are functioning as on date, are able to perform and deliver the expected results? The Answer is NO. Though ASK Centres have come up beautifully and with spacious building and other amenities, they are lacking with adequate and skilled manpower. The manpower to ASK Centres are being drafted from the existing manpower in field offices, which themselves are having thin and weak manpower. Presently ASK Centre, in many places, is performing merely as Tappal Receipt Counter managed by TA/STA. Receipts generated and issued through system is also of no use, since the Tax Payers are not able to track their tappal online. Statistics indicate increase in percentage of resolving tappals and applications, but Tax Payers’ grievances remain unaddressed. It is therefore utmost important to see that ASK Centre functions to its full potential by posting adequate and skilled manpower and also manpower in field offices to be strengthen to dispose of applications to the logical end. Immediate steps to be taken to provide facility to Tax Payers to monitor online the status and action taken on their tappal and grievances. Otherwise huge investment made on ASK Centres will be waste of public money.

V. G. IRKAL
Hospet

vasantirkal vasantirkal 29/07/2015