(FE)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will meet senior officers from the income tax, goods and services tax (GST), and customs departments to assess their performance across areas, including taxpayer services, litigation management, refund processing, and trade facilitation, official sources said.
The minister is scheduled to meet principal chief commissioners of the income tax department on June 23, with a focus on enhancing service delivery, reducing litigation, and improving accountability within systems. The minister will review age-wise pendency of appeals and push for faster disposal of legacy cases to reduce litigation burden, sources said.The meeting will also address delays in issuing refunds, including those held up due to non-processing of returns under Section 143(1), and rectification cases impacted by system-related issues.
The minister may also raise concerns over zones with vigilance cases pending beyond permissible timelines and disciplinary matters left unattended for months. Officials suggested that she could appreciate best practices adopted by select regions and reiterate the need for a taxpayer-centric, tech-enabled, and transparent ecosystem across the Income Tax department.
On June 20, the minister will hold a detailed interaction with principal chief commissioners of the central board indirect taxes and customs (CBIC) to review the performance of field formations under GST and Customs.
Sitharaman is likely to emphasise on timely refund processing, especially in export and SEZ-linked categories. Delays beyond 60 days will be scrutinised, and zones may be asked to explain pendency and rejection trends with detailed analytics.
The minister will also likely review the dwell time of cargo clearance across ports and airports. Data on risk management system-facilitated clearances, interdictions, and examination timelines are expected to be presented zone-wise.
High pendency in the directorate general of GST intelligence (DGGI) investigations, especially those pending over 180 days, is likely to draw critical attention, sources said.
She will likely lay special emphasis on time-bound vigilance action, accountability in physical verification outcomes, and use of technology for process efficiency—highlighting the government’s dual focus on compliance and trade facilitation.
