Sales tax officials observe strike

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

Jorhat, Jan 8: The All Assam Taxation Ministerial Officers Association (AATMOS), a frontal body of the Sales Tax Department observed a pen down strike throughout the sales taxes offices of the state today in support of their long impending demands and accordingly the Jorhat district Sales Tax office under the Deputy Commissioner of Taxes also observed a day-long strike which stalled works of the busy office of the district.

AATMOS Jorhat district unit in a statement reiterated their demands that included fixing up of minimum qualification level for entry into the sales tax department at graduate level, increase in grade pay from Rs 300 to Rs 2500, reming the post of junior assistant’s as junior sales tax assistant, budget allotment against contingency bills, removing hurdles of age bar slab during promotion against the post of the Inspector and Superintendents, creation of new posts, construction of new offices in the  various districts against those functioning from rented offices besides renovating worn out offices, filling up of vacant posts, preparation of gradation list of its employees, providing of annual training necessary to cope up with renewed tactics of tax evasion adopted by unscrupulous traders etc.

However, AATMOS has centrally raised their demanded through submission of memorandum earlier but even then their repeated pleas has so far failed to attract government attention.

In the statement signed by AATMOS president Ajit Kalita and secretary Pankaj Barman informed about staging a two-hour protest demonstration on 21 December last year in front of the Tax Commissioners office in Guwahati setting a deadline till 31 December to fulfill their demands. But the Government has not taken any steps so far.

It may be mentioned that the sales tax department of the state is one of the highest revenue collection department of the Assam government and is considered to be the backbone of Assam’s economic stability.

With a collection of Rs 8000 crores in the 2014-15 fiscal, the Jorhat office alone collected Rs 275 crores in 2014-15. Sources have informed about a renewed target of 307 crores for 2015-16. But even after achieving more than their target the officer’s bearers are devoid of incentives unlike the corporate sectors.

It may be mentioned that the Jorhat Sales Tax office has three vacant posts and there has been no recruitment since 2007. Above all, the Upper Assam Division Commissioner based at Jorhat was additiolly entrusted the chair of the Commissioner of Sales Tax of the Upper Assam Division.