New Delhi: According to an official statement made on Friday the Indirect Tax Ombudsmen (ITOM) will address concerns of taxpayers through trade and industry associations across the country for early compliance.

"A decision to hold meetings with trade and industry associations in the respective jurisdiction of the ombudsmen across the country was taken at a meeting of the ITOM with Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) chairman Kaushal Srivastava here for strengthening the watchdog," the statement said.

The CBEC has taken several initiatives to improve and facilitate trade and business in the 'year of tax-payers' services,

IT ombudsmen from Allahabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow and Mumbai regions participated in the meeting.

Taxpayers can approach the IT ombudsmen on deficiency, if any, in the working of customs, central excise and service tax departments in case of non-adherence to working hours and procedural delays in refunds, rebate and drawback.

The ombudsmen are meant to protect the rights of taxpayers and suggest remedial action to redress their grievances.

The IT ombudsmen have been set up under the ITOM guidelines of 2011.

(Inputs from IANS)