Use technology to improve efficiency, transparency in public finance: Thakur

Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur on Monday emphasised the need for use of technology for greater efficiency, accountability and transparency in public finance.

Speaking at an event organised Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Thakur said India has benefited from the use of technology in various sectors.

Live example is Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), which helped in saving money for the government, he said, adding technology can play very important role, and at the same time it can bring in more efficiency and transparency in the system and more accountability as well.

"We have witnessed a critical rise in India's standing in the ease of doing business rankings. A critical component of these ranking is trading across the border where the recent growth has been remarkable," he said.

The officers of CBIC played an important role in the component of trading across the borders, the minister added.

Thakur exhorted CBIC to continue their effort for further easing trade facilitation.

Indian customs have been on re-engineering drive, focusing on ease of doing business environment in the country, Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey said at the event to celebrate the International Customs Day.

"In the last 2-3 years, the way our ranking has improved in Ease of Doing Business that itself shows what we are capable of and what we can do and what we can do further," he said.