By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JUNE 15, 2020: Mr M. Ajit Kumar, Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) launched the e-Office application in over 500 CGST and Customs offices across India here today. The e-Office application was launched remotely in the presence of over 800 senior officers of CBIC. Dr Neeta Verma, DG, National Informatics Centre, (NIC) was also present.

Over 50,000 officers and staff will use this application making CBIC one of the largest Government departments to automate its internal office procedures.

The launch of e-Office marks a fundamental change in internal office procedures which is so far based on manual handling of files and paper movement. The CBIC expects e-Office would complement its many other IT led reforms which are directly aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business for the trade and industry.

The launch of e-Office is one more measure taken by the CBIC in leveraging technology for providing a ‘Faceless, Contactless and Paperless' indirect Tax administration.

The e-Office application is developed by the NIC and is supported by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). E-Office aims to improve governance by automating the internal processes of handling files and taking decisions within Government. The e-Office application's main module, eFile, enables on-line file related work, starting from receiving and marking dak, operating a file, preparing a draft letter, its approval/signature and dispatch of the signed letter.

The use of e-Office by the rank and file of the CGST and Customs officers in their day to day work would lead to speedier decision making, transparency, accountability, and positive impact on the environment by cutting down the use of paper and printing. Of particular relevance in the present-day challenging situation arising due to COVID-19 is that e-Office would help avoid contact with physical files thereby preventing possible transmission of any virus. Also, e-Office ensures enhanced security as no file or document can be altered or destroyed or backdated. An in-built monitoring mechanism would identify where the files are held up enabling quick disposal and faster decision making.

The e-Office is a Mission Mode Project (MMP) under the National e-Governance of India.