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Over 1,500 in CBR direct taxes wing face axe

JAVED MEHMOOD

ISLAMABAD: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) is set to axe 1,500 to 2,000 more jobs from its direct taxes wings in the days ahead, Business Recorder learnt reliably.

Direct taxes wings comprise income tax, wealth tax, withholding tax, capital value tax, etc.

The Board has already abolished 1,000 posts from the indirect taxes with effect from February 1, 2000, as a part of its drive of right-sizing.

Second round of retrenchment of direct taxes staff is expected soon after the Board completes down-sizing in the indirect taxes wings such as sales tax, customs and central excise.

The current strength of direct taxes staff is at 16,099 that would be reduced to a required level by abolishing the posts of officials who are surplus and non-qualified in direct taxes wings.

The break-up of posts in direct taxes, obtained by Business Recorder, shows one official is in Grade-22, 15 in Grade-15, 77 in Grade-20, 203 in Grade-19, 761 in grades-17 and 18, 372 in Grade-16, 257 in grades-14 and 15, 8,056 in grades-5 to 13 and 6,357 in grades-1 to 4.

Till January 30, 2000, the total strength of the CBR stands at 35,983 of which three officials are in Grade-3, 41 in Grade-21, 358 in Grade-19, 1298 in grades-17 and 18, 1,377 in Grade-16, 2,406 in grades-14 and 15, 14,999 in grades-5 to 13 and 15,349 in grades-1 to 4.

Sources said that although 6,088 posts are still vacant in the CBR, most of the wings of the Board are crowded with the non-professional and non-qualified officials, who are being sent homes soon.

The Board had already chalked out its plan to rightsize the indirect taxes wings that is being implemented from February 1, 2000, and once it completes another round of down-sizing in the direct taxes would be unfolded, said sources.

They, however, proposed that instead of heavy retrenchment of indirect and direct taxes staff the CBR should accommodate these persons on the already vacant 6,088 posts, ranging from Grade-1 to Grade-22.

It was learnt that one post of Grade-22, eight of Grade 21, 25 of Grade-20, 45 of Grade-19, 307 of grades 17 and 18, 319 of Grade-16, 496 of grades 14 and 15, 2,683 posts of grades 5 to 13 and 2,205 posts of grades 1 to 4 are still lying vacant which can be filled up by adjusting the surplus staff in different wings.

The CBR has started donwsizing/rightsizing as a part of previous government's commitment with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.