The Indirect Tax Ombudsmen (ITOM) will be holding meetings with the trade and industry associations in their jurisdiction and encourage the taxpayers to bring forth their problems/ issues. This was decided in the Meeting held by the Chairman, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) with the Indirect Tax Ombudsmen (ITOM) from Lucknow, Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bangalore here today in order to invite their suggestions for strengthening and improving the functioning of the institution of ITOM. The CBEC has taken several initiatives to improve and facilitate trade and business in the ‘year of tax payers’ services. Strengthening the institution of Ombudsman is also step in this direction.

 The taxpayers can approach the Indirect Tax Ombudsmen (ITOM) if they have complaints of deficiency in the working of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax Departments on account of non-adherence to the prescribed working hours and procedural delays in refunds, rebate, drawback and other such matters. The Ombudsmen are created for protecting the rights of the taxpayers and also to suggest remedial action for redress of their grievances.

 These Indirect Tax Ombudsmen (ITOM) have been set-up under the ITOM Guidelines 2011. The name, address and contact details of the Ombudsmen are available on CBEC website www.cbec.gov.in under the link ‘taxpayer assistance’.

Indirect Tax Ombudsmen strengthening: enhanced taxpayer grievance channels and outreach to trade associations for redress. The Indirect Tax Ombudsmen (ITOM) will hold meetings with trade and industry associations and encourage taxpayers to submit complaints. ITOMs serve as a grievance mechanism for deficiencies in Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax administration, including non-adherence to working hours and delays in refunds, rebate and drawback, and may propose remedial action. ITOMs are constituted under the ITOM Guidelines and contact details are available on the central board's taxpayer assistance portal.