Reforms implementation, tax collection: Chief Commissioners complain of shortage of staff

Some of the Chief Commissioners of Large Taxpayer Units (LTUs) and Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) have informed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) about the shortage of staff in the field formations, which is hampering reforms implementation and revenue collection during 2010-11.
During the chief commissioners' conference held here at the FBR headquarters on Tuesday, sources said that some chief commissioners pointed out the shortage of expert staff/officers in the field formations. Senior tax officials agreed that there is an immediate need of human resource rationalisation in the field formations. Tax authorities agreed with the viewpoint of the chief commissioners that if there are more officials working at one station, some of them could be transferred to another station. In case more officials are working at one place, there is no objection in transferring officials to other LTUs/RTOs, sources said.
Sources said that the LTU Islamabad, RTO Islamabad, RTO Bahawalpur and few other chief commissioners talked about the shortage of staff at their offices during the conference, sources added.
Interestingly, senior FBR officials were reluctant to talks about the recent decision of the FBR of taking away powers of the line members in transfers and postings of the tax officials. During the conference, the officials talked about the shortage of staff, but the policy change of withdrawing powers of the line members in reshuffling was not highlighted by anyone during the meeting held on Tuesday.
The FBR has recently transferred some tax officials of Grade-18/19 without consulting the line members including FBR Member Inland Revenue Khawar Khurshid Butt. This appears to be a decision against the basic management issues of an organisation where transfers and postings are taking place without the consultation of the concerned member. Without the input of FBR Member IR, few officials were transferred in the field formations, reflecting lack of co-ordination at the high level of management in the FBR, sources added.
The last meeting of the FBR Board-in-Council had withdrawn the powers of Member Inland Revenue and Member Customs to transfer and post tax officials. Board-in-Council had taken away the powers of the FBR Member Inland Revenue and Member Customs for transfers and postings, which make no sense at this critical juncture.
The FBR had issued an office order soon after conclusion of the Board-in-Council meeting. According to the FBR office order "delegation of administrative powers", FBR Member Admin has been empowered to transfer tax officials. The decision of the Board-in-Council was a clear violation of the commitment made by the FBR in the presence of Minister of Finance Abdul Hafiz Sheikh at the Chief Commissioner/Commissioners Conference held on March 9, 2011.
Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Salman Siddiqui had categorically said that the FBR Member Inland Revenue Khawar Khurshid Butt and FBR Member Customs Mumtaz Haider Rizvi were given free hand to make transfers and postings in the field formations under the Board's plan of restructuring for meeting the revenue target.
Sources said that the Minister of Finance Abdul Hafiz Sheikh had also highly appreciated the merit based policy of the FBR to empower the FBR Member IR and Member Customs for transfers and postings at the Chief Commissioner/Commissioners Conference held on March 9 2011. The policy has been reverted without any justification and logic. It is learnt that the FBR Member IR tried to convince the board-in-council that it is necessary that the transfers and postings must be done by the concerned members with the approval of the FBR Chairman. The concerned Members informed the council that merit based transfers and postings have been done to improve revenue collection by appointing right people at the right place.
The transfers and postings on key positions in the field formations have been done keeping in view policy of merit and honesty. Under the restructuring of the Board, the first step is transfer of proper officials at important position, who can deliver results having honest background. The integrity of the persons has been given top priority while making these transfers and postings under the policy to ensure maximum revenue collection through proper strategy of the Board.