Hyderabad: Officials and staff of the commercial taxes department fear losing their jobs and promotions once GST comes into force. They plan to launch an agitation next week and go on indefinite strike later if the government fails to address the issue. Around 10,000 people work in the department.
They argue that the GST regime will curtail the duties of the commercial taxes department and that they would be left with little to do as the work would be handled by the Centre’s excise and customs departments.
The employees met finance minister Etela Rajender and urged him to take up their issue in the GST Council meeting. Staff said a majority of assesses would go under the jurisdiction of the Central Excise and Customs departments when the GST regime comes into force next year.
They want state government officials and employees should be allowed to monitor and collect service tax under GST regime. They are strongly against enhancing the powers of the Central Excise and Customs departments.
“We should also be treated on par with IRS officers and assigned duties,” said Mr G. Venkateshwarlu, president, TS Commercial Taxes Employees Association.
He said in the long run there will be no promotions or creation of new jobs in the department.
Mr Rajender said the government will take up the concerns of employees with the Central government. “I have alrea-dy raised this issue in the recent GST Council meeting and Union finance minister Arun Jaitely has assured that the issue will be discussed,” he added.
He said that the government would protect the interests of commercial taxes employees. “They will be accommodated in other departments. There is no question of removing them from jobs. There is no need for the staff to worry on this.”
