By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, NOV 02, 2024: THE Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, actively engaged in the Special Campaign 4.0 from 2nd - 31st October, 2024, with special focus on Swachhata.

The initiatives during this period focused on instilling the principles of cleanliness while also addressing important backlogs in key work areas. The campaign prioritised addressing public complaints to enhance service delivery and responsiveness. Efforts were made to declutter and optimise office environments by removing outdated and unnecessary items including the clearance of seized contraband, such as narcotic substances and foreign-origin cigarettes, ensuring that these items were disposed of in compliance with legal regulations.

This year, CBIC also marked the 10th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission through the spirited celebration of 'Swachhata Hi Seva 2024, under the theme ' Swabhav Swachhata Sanskaar Swachhata (4S) campaign'. This initiative emphasised large-scale awareness and public participation in maintaining cleanliness, specifically targeting Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) across the country. With active involvement from CBIC officers, staff and field offices, the campaign fostered a collaborative environment that significantly enhanced its impact.

The concerted efforts of CBIC formations resulted in the achievement of several key milestones as follows:

- Resolution of 433 public grievances, 80 public grievance appeals, and five MP references.

- Elimination of 27,656 physical files out of 49,667 files reviewed.

- Review and closure of 1,501 e-files out of 36,237 assessed

- 819 cleanliness events organised across office premises and public areas.

- Generation of approximately Rs. 3.80 lakh from the disposal of 17,121 kg scrap, freeing 16,706 square feet of additional office space.

- Destruction of 73 kg of drugs, 49 lakhs foreign cigarettes, and other contraband worth Rs. 460 crore by Delhi Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate and Customs (Airport and General) Commissionerate jointly, besides Customs Commissionerate (Prev.), Vijayawada disposed of 82.72 lakh sticks of smuggled cigarettes valued at Rs. 5.5 crore as part of the ongoing battle against illicit imports.

Several best practices were implemented across various Customs and GST offices to promote sustainability and employee welfare. A Bio-Gas Plant was set up in the Customs Colony in Vapi, turning waste into wealth.

The CGST Faridabad Commissionerate transformed two abandoned rooms filled with old records and furniture into a cafeteria and a crèche within its premises. The CGST Jaipur Zone planted 11,000 saplings of over 100 native species using an innovative afforestation method that utilized organic waste and only 30% of the usual water requirement. The CGST Gurugram Audit Commissionerate reclaimed office space to develop a crèche for employee welfare. Additionally, efforts to ensure cleanliness extended to Valappu Beach in Cochin, where more than 400 officers, including 100 students, volunteered. The campaign also led to the cleaning of office premises and the repair and painting of old furniture, which were subsequently donated to Jila Parishad Hindi Ucha Primary School and Primary School, Umrer, Nagpur, with these initiatives being effectively showcased on social media platforms.

Around 200 posts were shared on 'X' and other social media platforms through CBIC's official handle and field offices, significantly amplifying the Swachhata message. Efforts will persist in building on these practices and ensuring their sustainability throughout the year.