e-Governance Initiatives at theExcise Directorate

The directorate’s services are now delivered online. This has eliminated entire administrative layers involved in the processing of service requests. Earlier, service requests had to be made through paper applications, which had to travel from table to table, and involved an enormous amount of paperwork.

After the implementation of eAbgari, liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers make most service requests – applications for Import Permits, License Renewals, Registration of Brands etc. – online. The eAbgari software validates the requests for compliance with existing rules and procedures.

As most of the scrutiny work/validation are done by eAbgari system itself, fewer officials are now involved in the processing of the requests. This has drastically reduced application processing times as well as chances of error in comparison the manual system.

Issuance of online acknowledgement with id.no. for each request of service has been incorporated to facilitate the stakeholder to track the process status any time from the online system or PULL SMS.

With centralized database in place, some distinct features are embedded in eAbgari towards better online service delivery e.g. (a) Unique Id. No. across the state for each licensee, (b) Unique codification of licensee premises (thru’ incorporation of data from state land records department), (c) Issuance of statutory signed documents to stakeholders in decentralized manner needed for producing outside West Bengal e.g. Authorization Slip for importing excisable consignments from other states etc.

Deposition of excise duties/fees through online government payment gateway (GRIPS) integrated with eAbgari is made mandatory by the Government. This facilitates excise licensees & applicants for new license to deposit requisite amount of duties/fees (as calculated by eAbgari) online 24x7. It has significant impact from the perspectives of both Service Requester and Excise Official. The stakeholder need not take regular pain for deposition of duties/fees in Banks. On the other hand, dealing excise officials need not check the authenticity of challan from treasuries. This, in turn, helped the stakeholders to do more business, and hence more revenues are getting generated in government account.

Collection of data – regarding revenue, sale, imports, crime etc. – is now done electronically. Relevant, actionable data is now available in real-time to Excise officials across the entire hierarchy.

Various Online e-Services are being delivered through State Excise Portal https://www.wbexcise.gov.in, which are follows:-

+ Workflow based System for Grant of New Excise License

·          e-Application by Members of Citizenfor Grant of New Excise License

1' e-Paymentof requisite Fees as guided by eAbgari

1' Uploadingof relevant documents

1' e-Submission of Application toconcerned Excise District Superintendent

·          e-Issuance of Acknowledgement toApplicant

·          Workflow based e-Actions on submittedApplication and e-collection of site inspection reports

·          e-Issuance of Excise License

+ Workflow based System for Grant of License for the Next Period of Settlement (Renewal)

·          e-Application by Excise Licensees forGrant of License

v' e-Paymentof requisite Fees as guided by eAbgari

1' Uploadingof relevant documents

1' e-Submissionof Application to Range Officer

·          e-Issuance of Acknowledgement toExcise Licensee

·          e-Acting on Application by ExciseOfficer either to Hold on or, to Forward the Application to ExciseCollector

·          e-Acting on Forwarded Application byExcise Collector to

1' SeekClarification or

v' e-Issuance of Excise License for the Next Period ofSettlement

+ Workflow based System for LabelRegistration of Packaged Foreign Liquor (FL) & Packaged Country Spirit (CS)

·          e-Application for Label Registration

1' e-Paymentof requisite Fees as guided by eAbgari

1' Uploadingof relevant documents

1' e-Submission of Application to DeputyExcise Commissioner of FL & CS

·          e-Issuance of Acknowledgement

·          Workflow based e-Actions on submittedapplications

·          e-Issuance of Label RegistrationCertificate

+ Workflow based System for ImportPermit-cum-Pass for (a) Bulk Spirit (b) SDS, Methanol (c) Spirit for Medicinal/R&D Purposes toHospitals/Educational Institutes

·          e-Requisition by Licensee for ImportPermit-cum-Pass

·          e-Issuance of Bar-coded ImportPermit-cum-Pass by Competent Authority

·          e-Receipts of Imported Consignment& automatic updating of Stock

·          e-Issuance of Excise VerificationCertificate (EVC) by Competent Authority

 Workflow based System for ImportPermit-cum-Pass for Packaged Foreign Liquor

Packaged Foreign Liquor canbe imported from other states on payment of duty. The eAbgari system enablesthe importer to place requisition and deposit relevant duty/fee at his ownconvenience. Besides,

asthe database for Registered Brands are maintained in eAbgari, it isautomatically ensured that Licensee can import only those brandswhich are registered at Excise Directorate for current financial year.Information on the status of the requisition is available to the importer onreal time basis.

·          e-Requisition for ImportPermit-cum-Pass for Packaged Foreign Liquor

·          Acting on the Requisitionelectronically by the Competent Authorities

·          e-Issuance of Bar-coded ImportPermit-cum-Pass for Packaged Foreign Liquor printed on Security Papersupplied by the Government Press

·          e-Receipts of Imported Consignment& automatic updating of Stock

·          e-Issuance of Excise VerificationCertificate (EVC)

+ Stock Inventory System for Foreign Liquor / Country Spirit Manufactory, Manufactoryadjacent Trades, Exclusive Trades

a. Manufactory

·      e-Receiptsof Spirit

·      e-StockInventory of Strong Spirit (SST) VAT

·          e-Issuance of Spirit to Blending& Reduction (BRT) VAT for production of a Brand of Specified Batch

·          e-Issuance of QR Code based AdhesiveLabels for pasting on Packaged Liquor

·          e-Recording of Produced PackagedForeign Liquor – Measure, Total Cases/Bottles

·          e-Transfer of Produced Bottles to theStock of Adjunct Bond

·          Real Time / Daily / Monthly StockInventory of Spirit in Manufactory

b. Warehouse

·      e-Receiptsfrom Manufactory OR e-Receipts through Import from Other States

·          e-Issuance of Bottles to Trades throughDe-bonding (Transport Pass) through collection of applicableexcise duties

·          e-Stock Inventory of PackagedLiquors

c. Trades

·      e-Receiptsfrom Manufactory OR e-Receipts through Import from Other States

·      e-Issuanceof Bottles to Trades/Retails through Transport Pass

·      e-StockInventory of Packaged Liquors

+ Workflow based System for Transport Pass for Bulk Spirit / Packaged Foreign Liquor /Packaged Country Spirit

Formovement of Liquor within the state, Transport Pass is necessary. The eAbgariautomatically determines the type of transport considering the nature oflicense of the Consignee & Consignor. Besides, as the database for Stock ismaintained in eAbgari, it is automatically ensured that the Consignee can place a requisition for only thosebrands which have adequate balance in the Consignor’s stock.

·          e-Requisition for Transport Pass forBulk Spirit / Packaged Liquor

·          e-Issuance of Transport Pass for BulkSpirit / Packaged Liquor

·          e-Receipts of TransportedConsignment

·          Automatic updating of Stock at bothConsignee & Consignor ends

+       Daily/Monthly e-Return for Licensees holdingManufactory, Bond-cum-Trade, Exclusive Trades & Retail Licenses under Distillery &Warehouse, Foreign Liquor and Special Section

·          Receipts of Spirit / Packaged ForeignLiquor

·          Issuance of Spirit / Packaged ForeignLiquor

·          Excise Duty / Fee Deposited

+ Collectionand Aggregation of data regarding revenue, production and sale of liquor,excise-related crimes and enforcement activities

·            Monthly Online e-Reporting System forIntoxicant Consumption & Revenue Receipts by Excise Collectors

·            Online Daily Preventive Raide-Reporting System by Excise Collectors of all districts

+ e-Bond Value Register (e-BVR) ande-PL Account Register

Most ImportantStatutory Registers at Manufactories indicate (a) the eligibility for UnderBond Import/Transport of spirit and (b) Status of RevenueDeposition at Government Accounts

·          Automatic Recording of Transactions(Credit & Debit)

·          Generation & Printing of Monthly& Yearly Registers

+ Workflow basedSystem for Export Pass for Packaged Foreign Liquor

·        e-Application process for Export Passare two types i.e. 1. Within WB & 2. Outside WB

·        e-Application for Export Pass willbe prepare by Manufactory Licensee

·        After pass through different labelsBond Officer of the Licensee will be Generate the License

·        EVC will be done by Bond Officer ofthe Licensee.

+ Workflow based System for Production for Raw Spirit

·        e-Application for production for rawspirit made by Manufactory / Bottling Plant 1' Byimport or transport of bulk spirit, raw spirit will be added with Strong SpiritVAT 1' Sendind the Raw spirit toBlending and Reduction (BRT) VAT for further process 1' Afterthat Production will be done

1' After production Liquor will be transfered to theManufactory Bond / Bottling Plant

+ Workflow based System for Reprocessing

·        e-Application for Reprocessing madeby Manufactory

1' BondOfficer approve the e-Application

1' Liquorwill be added with Blending and Reduction (BRT) VAT

1' After full process liquor will betransfered to the Manufactory Bond.

+ Workflow based System for Change in management

·        e-Application for Change in managementfor different reason e.g. (a) Death of Holder(s) / Member(s), (b)Retirement, (c) Usual Course of Business & (d) Other Reason(s)

1' e-Paymentof requisite Fees as guided by eAbgari

1' Uploadingof relevant documents

1' e-Submissionof Application to Superintendent of Excise

1' Approvalof Application done by DCHQ.

+ Workflow based System for getting NOCfrom Kolkata Police

   e-Submission of Applicationfor Licensee Renewal for Kolkata south and Kolkata North to Kolkata Police fromSuperintendent of Excise

v' e-Paymentof requisite Fees as guided by eAbgari 1' Viewuploaded relevant documents

1' e-Submissionof Application to Superintendent of Excise v' Superintendentof Excise Generate the License

+ Maintainingof Daily Sales

·        e-Submission of Daily Sales data –Liquor type, Brand & Pack Size wise - Retailer(s).

+ Workflowbased System for Issuance of Permission for Late Closing of Retail Shops

·        Prepare e-Requisition for LateClosing by Licensee

·        Uploading of relevant documents

·        e-Submission of Application toSuperintendent of Excise

·        Forwarding Application to EnquiryOfficer from Superintendent of Excise

·        Forwarding back to Superintendent ofExcise along with Enquiry Report

·        Sending Application to KolkataPolice

·        Enquiry by Kolkata Police, Collectionof requisite Fees & Issuance of NOC by Kolkata Police

·        Collection of Closing Fees from byCollector from Licensee

·        Issuance of Late Closing Permission

+ Daily Preventive Raid Reporting System – by CircleOfficers + SMS basede-Services at State Excise Portal

·          Aims to utilize the massive reach ofmobile phones and harness the potential of mobiles to enable easyand round-the-clock access to G2B, G2C & G2G services

·          PUSH SMS: Auto-sending of SMS toExcise Licensees, Excise Officers in the events of Requisition Submissionfor Permits/Passes by Excise Licensees, Requisition Forwarding by ExciseOfficers, Permit /Pass Generation by Competent Authorities, LabelRegistration Certificate Issuance etc.

·          PULL SMS: Allows the Stakeholders torequest for and receive information pertaining to Application/Requisition/Permit/Passas an SMS. All anybody needs to do is SMS: - WBGET <;Sub­Keyword>;<;Fullor, Part of Requisition/Permit/Pass No.>; and send it to9231025205.

+ e-ChemicalExamination Laboratory

·          To streamline the process of chemicalexamination of samples and seized articles and to monitor the disposalof articles analyzed

·          E-Submission of Requisition forChemical Analysis of both Industrial & Court Case Samples by Stakeholders

·          Receipt of Physical Samples &Generation of Receipts

·          e-Allotment of Sample Testing

·          e-Generation of Sample AnalysisResults for E-Issuance to the Applicant

+ e-CourtCase Monitoring

            Because of the enormousvolume of pending cases, it was becoming very difficult for the Law Cell of the Excise           Directorate tohave the life cycle details of a Court Case within a stipulated period of time,since cases may drag on foryears. Therefore it was felt that an e-monitoring system needs to be
developed.

·          Ensures details on engagement ofLawyers, Court Case life cycle management, Case wise Petitioner List& Respondent List, Hearing Details and Case wise status enquiry by theintended stake holders

·          Ease of Monitoring of Court Cases forExcise Directorate with combinational query features

·          Less time-consumption for searching aspecific case and all its related cases (Appeals against the saidcase & the cases which lead to this case)

+ e-GrievanceRedressal

To ensure that the Excise Licensees& Citizens get responsive, accountable and transparent administration,redress of citizens' grievances is one of the most important initiatives ofWest Bengal Excise Directorate. The Public Grievance Monitoring System (PGMS)is made available in Excise Directorate Portal with an objective of speedyredressal and effective monitoring of Grievances.

·          Online Registration of Grievance

·          Generation of Grievance Id. &Acknowledgement

·          Auto-SMS to the Complainantacknowledging receipt of Grievance

·          Auto-SMS Alert to Officer-In-Chargewith which Grievance is related

·          Auto-SMS sent to Complainant informingAction Taken

+ Facilitating to check authenticity ofPackaged Liquor

To ensure that all packaged liquor are sourced from legalchannel, QR Coded Adhesive Labels are generated for pasting onpackaged liquor bottles. This has helped (a) to arrest revenue leakage from governmentperspective and (b) to facilitate consumer to check authenticity of packagedliquor and thereby to avoid health hazards due to consumption ofillicit liquor.

·          Unique random numbers are generatedonline through eAbgari to generate QR Coded Adhesive Labels forpasting on liquor bottles.

·          The QR Coded Labels are bothphysically & logically tagged with liquor bottles of specific batch of production.

On scanning the QR Codespasted on tops of liquor bottles, every characteristics of bottles are made available, e.g. Brand Name,Manufacturer Name, Measure, Production Batch No. & Date, MRP etc

+ e-Bevco under e-Abgari

On 25th Jan 2017 as a Corporation under Directorate ofExcise, Govt. of West Bengal, WBSBCL or West BengalState Beverages Corporation Limited is established to take over the businessaspect of the supply chain management of liquor in West Bengal. The corefunctions of the corporation are:.

·          Procurement of bottled liquor fromall liquor manufactories within the state and from suppliers outsidethe state, and shall sell the same to all liquor retailers in the state.

·          Procurement of spirits used for themanufacture of bottled liquor, both from distilleries within West Bengal, andfrom suppliers outside West Bengal, shall be routed through the corporation.

·          Export of bottled liquor and spiritby manufacturers in the state, shall also have to be routed through thiscorporation.

e-Bevco under e-Abgari has been able to automate the end to end supplychain of liquor in the state of West Bengal. This solution is proved to be crucial in building up asustainable technically robust businessplatform.