Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 29: Minister of State for Finance and IT, Pawan Kumar Gupta today reviewed the performance of various wings of the Excise Department at a meeting of senior functionaries of the department.
Besides Excise Commissioner, Tsering Angchok, the meeting was attended by all the Dy. Excise Commissioners and Excise & Taxation Officers of the Excise Department.
At the outset T Angchok, Excise Commissioner gave a power point presentation on the profile of Excise Department and the revenue realized under various components.
Later, the Minister took a detailed review of different wings of the department and obtained inputs from the respective Dy. Excise Commissioners. He evinced keen interest in the functioning of the department and gave various suggestions and instructions for improving the activities of the department in different sectors. He also instructed the department to chalk out a plan to check the menace of drug trafficking which is leaving bad affect on the society.
He asked Excise Commissioner to explore the possibility of using Information Technology for tracking the illegal cultivation of Bhung/Poopy in the state so as to identify the exact pockets in a particular area.
The Minister, further, emphasized the need for enhanced enforcement activities by the department, adding that the officers should conduct regular raids in their area of jurisdiction for the purpose. He urged for checking any attempt towards evasion of Excise & Toll revenue.
Concluding the meeting the Minister exhorted upon the officers to redouble their efforts to eradicate menace of illicit liquor and exhorted upon the officers to work with zeal and dedication to achieve the targets for the current year.