CBDT, CBEC members given special secretary rank

The government today upgraded the posts of members of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) to the level of special secretary. They will be entitled to a fixed monthly salary of Rs 80,000, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Prithviraj Chavan told reporters here after a Cabinet meeting.

After the Sixth Pay Commission awards this year, the members held the rank of additional secretary with a pay scale of Rs 75,000-80,000. The Indian Revenue Service Association had expressed its anguish at the decision of the government to ignore specific positive recommendations of the commission to address the legitimate aspirations of the service and to upgrade the pay scale of members to Rs 80,000 (fixed).

The CBDT is responsible for collection of direct taxes including income tax and corporate tax, while the CBEC collects customs, central excise and service tax.

Apart from chairman, there are six members in the CBDT and five members in CBEC

Source : Business Standard