Shashi Bhushan Singh appointed adviser in CBEC

Shashi Bhushan Singh has been appointed as adviser in Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), apex policy making body for indirect taxes.
Singh, a former CBEC member, retired in February this year.
According to a government order, Singh will continue for a period of three months beginning March 1 as an adviser to the Board for a period of three months.
The CBEC consists of a chairperson and maximum of six members. At present, Kaushal Srivastava is working as CBEC chairperson and Joy Kumari Chander, as lone member. Srivastava is due to retire in June and Chander will demit her office in May this year.

The Finance Ministry has already set afoot process of induction of fresh members to the board and the appointments will be made soon, official sources said.
The CBEC has surpassed its indirect tax collection target by a handsome margin of Rs 4,000 crore to reach Rs 5.46-lakh crore in the just-concluded 2014-15 fiscal. The figures came at a time when Income Tax collection is likely to fall short by an estimated Rs 9,000 crore, mainly due to a shortfall in the overall Tax Deducted at Source.
Singh has been given non-statutory work at the level of member pertaining to subjects being handled by the Central Excise, Customs and Service Tax. He will also look after computerisation, systems and Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Singh will also supervise work of field formations under Northern, Western and Central zones of CBEC, the order said.