New Delhi, July 17: Call centres to deal with queries related to customs, excise and service tax have been proposed by tax authorities among other trade facilitation measures to achieve higher revenue collection now at 9 per cent GDP. While Finance Minister Jaswant Singh has stressed on reducing litigations, tax officials proposed a slew of measures to simplify laws and procedures in the just concluded conference of Chief Commissioners of Customs and Excise.

Six groups were set up on different aspects like Customs, Excise, Service Tax, Policy and Administration, Enforcement, HRD and other key areas, official sources said.
One of the recommendations of these groups were setting up of three call centres for Customs, Excise and Service Tax to deal with querries of trade and industry through telephone.
Another recommendation was to implement the Customs Gateway Project, now being working at Delhi Air Cargo for exporters, at all ports for speeding up clearances. Bureau Report