By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, DEC 12, 2013: WHILE praising the serving and retired officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on its 'Founding Day' the Union Finance Minister, Mr P Chidambaram, today asked the agency to focus on better trade facilitation and use of latest technology. He also emphasised the point that there are many information silos in the economy but the relevant inputs have to be mined and also shared with other law enforcement agencies.

Mr Chidambaram said that it is the age of technology and, therefore, intelligence agencies should use latest technology both for intelligence gathering and information analysis. Accordingly, he said that there is need for recruiting the right type of persons. He said that in order to do that there is need for change in the method of recruitment of officers and staff, their training and deployment for optimal results.

The Finance Minister said that there is so much of information available to share but most of the intelligence agencies remain in silo. He said that intelligence agencies must learn to speak to each other and share information with each other in order to achieve better results. He said that massive information worth sharing is lying at various platform including PAN data base, registration data for excise and service tax, imports and exports, depositories in capital market and insurance sector among others. In conclusion, the Finance Minister said that DRI should work for better trade facilitation, use latest technology and share information with other intelligence agencies for achieving desired results.

Later the Finance Minister released a Coffee Table Book on DRI on the occasion.

Earlier speaking on the occasion, Mr Sumit Bose, Finance Secretary said that DRI is known for hard work and integrity of its officers and staff. He asked them to maintain it and further build on the integrity of the organization in future as well.

Ms. Praveen Mahajan, Chairperson, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) said that DRI is a thorough professional body. She asked the officers and staff of DRI to continue to work relentlessly in a fair, transparent and non-adversial manner.