Sources told Business Recorder on Tuesday that the proposed CBR organisational structure, approved by international donors, was discussed in the Bhurban workshop last week. Under the proposed structure, 21 directors-general would report to six Members, including Member Customs, Member Sales Tax, Member Direct Taxes, Member Revenue Services, Member Management Services, Member Policy and Reforms and Member Internal Audit.
One tax official expressed concern over the appointment of so many directors-general. First, he argued, the new structure was not cost-effective, as each proposed director general would require manpower and necessary equipment/infrastructure to run his office.
Obviously, CBR would need a handsome amount of money to run these offices along with promised double or three-fold increase in the pay. Secondly, appointment of 21 directors-general would create a new cadre of senior tax officials, minimising direct interaction between Board Members and officials in field formations.
For example, the existing Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation would be separated into four DGs, who would individually look after the work of Intelligence, Investigation, Vigilance and Enforcement.
This shows that the present workload of DG I and I would be distributed among several proposed DGs. Similarly, three separate 'DG Internal audit' would be required to handle sales tax, customs and direct taxes audit work.
"The only question arises whether there is requirement of dozens of DGs under the revamped tax agency, sources quoted this official as saying at the workshop.
They said that detailed scrutiny of the proposed organisational structure chart showed that the number of directors-general would exceed 21 once the plan implementation started in the coming years.
Under the new plan, the CBR would be divided into fours departments ie Revenue Operations, Revenue Services, Management Services and Policy and Reforms. Member Customs, Member Sales Tax and Member Direct Taxes would work under Revenue Operations. Member Policy and Reforms and Member Internal Audit would work under the Policy and Reforms Wing. Member Revenue Services and Member Management Services would separately perform their duties under their respective departments.
The proposed structure shows that Member Customs would head DG Export and DG Import; Member Sales Tax would head D.G. Sales Tax and DGs Large Taxpayer Units (LTUs); and Member Direct Taxes would head D.G. Direct Taxes as well as DGs LTUs.
Member Revenue Services would head D.G. Intelligence; D.G. Taxpayer Education and Facilitation; D.G. Processing Returns and Revenue Accounting; D.G. Risk Management; D.G. Investigation; D.G. Collection and Enforcement and D.G Taxpayer Audit.
Member Management Services would deal with D.G. Facility Management, Administration and Accounts; D.G. Legal; D.G. Human Resource Management (HRM); D.G. Information Management System and User Support and D.G. Training and Development.
Member Policy and Reforms would head D.G. Project Co-ordination; D.G. Fiscal Research and Statistics; D.G. Internal Audit and D.G. Internal Affairs.