Frequent transfers a pouring problem for Chandigarh excise dept

Four officers at the helm of the Chandigarh excise and taxation department, plagued by year-on-year revenue deficit, have been transferred since August 2023

Pegged to be Chandigarh administration’s highest revenue generator, raking in an estimated ₹800 crore annually, the UT excise and taxation department is lacking a stable team at the helm.

In the latest jolt to the department, HCS officer Pradhuman Singh was on Friday shifted from the role of additional excise and taxation commissioner (AETC), taking the number of transfers in the department since August 2023 to four. (HT)

In the latest jolt to the department, HCS officer Pradhuman Singh was on Friday shifted from the role of additional excise and taxation commissioner (AETC), taking the number of transfers in the department since August 2023 to four.

Even the assistant excise and taxation officer (AETO) Alok Passi was repatriated in November last year after serving for 10 months only and PCS officer Jagdeep Saigal was given the charge.

In August 2023, HCS officer Sumit Sihag was shifted after eight months as AETC-cum-collector (Excise). Sihag took over from PCS officer HPS Brar, who was also transferred after eight months only.

Rupesh Aggarwal, a 2019-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer, took over the charge, but was shifted on January 24, 2024, within five months. On January 26, the charge was given to HCS officer Pradhuman Singh, who was again shifted in less than two months on Friday, and the charge fell back in the lap of HPS Brar.

Chandigarh deputy commissioner-cum-excise and taxation commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said the recent transfer of AETC Pradhuman Singh was due to ECI guidelines under model code of conduct. On the transfer of AETO Alok Passi, he said he was repatriated to his parent cadre, as he completed one year. But the fact remains that Passi was sent back after 10 months only.

Despite repeated attempts, UT adviser Rajeev Verma could not be contacted for a comment.

For the financial year 2023-24, the department had set a revenue target of ₹830 crore from liquor vend licence fees. But having failed to auction 18 of the total 96 liquor vends, only ₹600 crore have been collected so far, with just a week remaining in the current fiscal.

An audit report from the director general of audit (Central), Chandigarh, had pointed out that the department had failed to achieve its targets for four years . In 2019-20, the department achieved ₹645.76 crore against the target of ₹723 crore. Similarly, in 2020-21, it earned ₹497.18 crore against the target of ₹671.06 crore.

Even in 2021-22, it made ₹724.60 crore against the goal of ₹806 crore, and in 2022-23, the department collected ₹863.37 crore against the targeted ₹900 crore.