Chhattisgarh reshuffles GST department in major overhaul to boost transparency and tax governance
Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government has initiated extensive transfers within the Commercial Tax (GST) Department. This significant administrative change, the first in several years, aims to reinforce transparency and accountability.
Commercial Tax Minister O P Choudhary said the transfers are part of a broader effort to decentralise administrative functions and strengthen the tax governance framework. “New tax circles have been established in Dantewada, Kondagaon, Jashpur, Sakti, and Sarangarh, ensuring improved geographical coverage,” he stated. “Earlier, departmental offices operated in only 15 districts despite the presence of 30 circles.”
The move follows Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s commitment to good governance. Officials said prolonged tenures of officers in the same postings led to operational stagnation and presented challenges to institutional transparency and tax collection. Some officers had served in the same posting for over 10 years, with a few remaining in their home districts throughout this period.
The department reported that out of 35 sanctioned Deputy Commissioner (State Tax) posts, 17 officers were reassigned after their promotion. Among the remaining eight officers, some had completed between eight to ten years in Raipur. Additionally, 178 State Tax Officers and Inspectors had been in the same locations for four to five years, with more than 70 serving in their home districts during that period.
The department has also introduced Business Intelligence Units (BIUs) and Audit Units with designated officers to monitor revenue collection and compliance.
Officials confirmed the process considered personal circumstances. Efforts were made to accommodate requests for joint postings of spouses, and women officers were transferred to nearby districts where possible.
The Finance Minister reaffirmed the government’s resolve to foster an honest, transparent, and responsive administrative culture across departments.
