Question : REWARD TO INFORMERS

(a) whether the Government provides rewards/reward money to informers who provide specific information on tax-evaders leading to seizure of goods, currency etc.;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether a number of cases of rewards to informers are pending with the Government for decades;

(d) if so, the details of such cases and the years since these cases are pending for settlement;

(e) the details of cases in which the informers have gone to the Court and the status of such cases; and

(f) the steps taken by the Government to settle these cases expeditiously?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (JAYANTSINHA)

(a) & (b): Yes Madam. The reward to informers is governed by Central Board of Direct Taxes(CBDT) guidelines dated 29.11.2007 and Central Board of Excise and Customs`(CBEC) guidelines dated 20.06.2001 and 16.04.2004. As per CBEC`s guidelines, the informers are eligible for reward upto 20% of the net sale-proceeds of the contraband goods seized and/or amount of duty evaded plus amount of fine and penalty levied/impose and recovered,

(c) & (d): 72 cases are pending over a decade. The details are as under:-

 Year	1993	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004 No.	1	3	5	3	12	17	7	8	16 of Cases