New Delhi, Nov 21 (KNN) 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 and issues, said the Ministry of Finance.

This was decided in the meeting held by the Chairman, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) with ITOM from Lucknow, Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bangalore here on Friday 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 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.

The indirect tax ombudsmen have been set-up under the ITOM Guidelines 2011. (KNN Bureau)