GST ready for roll-out, CBEC fast-tracks training of officials

The Central Board of Excise and Customs will be rechristened the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) beginning 1 June, a month ahead of the nationwide roll-out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 1 July.

The CBEC has also undergone a complete reorganisation in its field force, including allocation of officers and office spaces. But, only 40 per cent of tax officials have so far been trained on the GST portal run by the GST Network. The CBEC has now brought the deadline forward for IT training of officials, the finance ministry said.

''Out of 62,937 tax officials, 24,668 have been given hands-on training on the application software on live system while the remaining officials will be trained by 15 June... The training is being conducted on registration, returns and payment modules developed by GSTN,'' the finance ministry had said last week.

CBEC chairperson Vanaja Sarna has emphasised that all officials must be trained on the GST portal by 31 May, which is 15 days earlier than the finance ministry's assessment for training the remaining officials.

Headquartered in North Block, the new indirect taxes board will have a member for GST and central excise, and a separate member in charge of IT, legal and compliance.

The existing Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence will be renamed Directorate General of GST Intelligence.

The CBEC will have two new directorates for analytics and risk management and another one for issues relating to international customs.

The department will also have separate offices for GST and Customs across the country and has provided funds for new office spaces and training of staff.

With only 40 per cent of tax officials trained so far on the GST portal run by the GST Network, the CBEC has brought the deadline forward for IT training of officials, the finance ministry said.

''Out of 62,937 tax officials, 24,668 have been given hands-on training on the application software on live system while the remaining officials will be trained by 15 June... The training is being conducted on registration, returns and payment modules developed by GSTN,'' the finance ministry had said last week.

''For this, it is required to revamp the training schedule with a view to complete the training within the stipulated time. Member (IT) would separately be communicating with the chief commissioners in this regard with timeline details,'' Sarna added. She emphasised that all officials must be trained on the GST portal by May 31, which is 15 days sooner than the finance ministry's assessment for training the remaining officials.

In the run-up to GST, CBEC, the apex policymaking body for indirect taxes, has been rechristened the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC). CBIC would supervise the work of all its field formations and directorates and assist the government in policymaking in relation to GST, continuing central excise levy and customs functions. The existing formations of central excise and service tax under the CBEC have been reorganised to implement and enforce the provisions of the proposed GST laws.