From October 2 through October 31, 2022, the Special Campaign on Disposal of Pending Matters (SCPDM), 2.0, is being actively supported by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIC). The removal of VIP mentions and public complaints is the campaign’s primary aim. As of this writing, more than 722 public grievances, 120 public grievance appeals, and 23 (out of 44) VIP references have all been resolved.
Additionally, a nationwide cleanliness campaign is being organised by CBIC’s field offices. There have already been 1,344 outdoor campaigns run. This is more than twice as many as the surveys taken last year.
Approximately 5.8 lakh files were analysed in the years 2021–2022, of which approximately 3.8 lakh were ultimately weeded out. Due to ongoing efforts, CBIC has mostly switched to eOffice during the course of the year. Due to this, there are very few physical files left, and the review process is still underway. Approximately 64,000 files have been analysed this year; of those, 20,000 files have already been removed.
The disposal of scrap was another area of emphasis that was noted. In the years 2021–2022, almost 37,000 square feet of scrap were cleaned. About 22,000 square feet have already been cleared out by CBIC this year, and attempts are being made to free up more space.
Aranya, a gallery of wildlife, was built by Delhi Customs in the hallways of the second floor of the New Customs House in New Delhi with the goal of improving the quality of public spaces in CBIC offices. It was opened on October 7, 2022, by the Chairman of CBIC, Vivek Johri. As part of the ongoing Special Campaign 2.0, the gallery highlights the efforts made by Indian Customs to protect wildlife, ensure cleanliness, and celebrate the spirit of Swachhta. This has been cited as one of the department’s best practices.
On October 13, 2022, Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj, Chief Commissioner, CGST & Customs Pune Zone, S.M. Tata, and other senior zone officers took part in a drive to clean the Ratnagiri Beach and Customs Floating Jetty as part of a special endeavour. As a result of the special drive, a sizable amount of plastic and other debris was removed from the beach. Additionally, V. Srinivas, Secretary DARPG & DoPW, paid a visit to the GST Bhawan in Guwahati and met with the zone’s officers to discuss Special Campaign 2.0’s progress. In Guwahati’s CGST and Customs Zone, extensive cleaning efforts have led to the addition of about 6,000 square feet of office space. The Chief Commissioner, Ashutosh Awasthi, and senior zone officers all took part in the file shredding exercise at the GST Bhawan, as did the Secretary.
