Vangala Harshavardhan
I worked as a Sr. Government employee and have extensive experience in complex areas of Revenue, Administration, Governance, Culture, and Information Technology Systems. Having toured widely across all the states in the country to study and adopt the best practices, developed initiatives that were instrumental in improving the systems and processes. An ardent reader with academic interests and keep abreast with the contemporary socio-economic and technological advancements.
I started my career as a lecturer in P.A.S college Pedanandipadu before getting selected for Group One Services as a Commercial Tax officer in the year 1987. Having served as CTO in Narsapur, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, scaled up to Asst. Commissioner in Visakhapatnam, Central Enforcement hiring in Hyderabad and further to Deputy Commissioner of Eluru and Secundrabad divisions. Believing in proactive actions and sincerity, made notable contributions in detecting large-scale tax evasions involving Crores of Rupees.
During the tenure as Deputy Commissioner, Inter-State Investigation Wing, I established an excellent rapport with CID officials of all the states in the country. After conducting a detailed investigation in collaboration with commercial tax officers of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Orissa, collected Rs 17 crores from the tax evaders, including a large-scale investigation involving tax evasion in cement, edible oils, and bulk drugs.
While working as the Joint Commissioner for the Enforcement Wing from 2007 to 2010, leakage of revenues in plywood, edible oils, pulses, and cement trade were successfully plugged through interstate investigations. During this tenure, I conducted Southern States’ Commercial Tax Departments Conference at Hyderabad in which officers from Maharashtra, Orissa, Kerala, Tamilnadu, and Karnataka participated. This unique and one of its kind conference contributed to the enrichment of the skills of participants through knowledge sharing and deliberations on various areas of common interest and optimization of government revenues by adopting best practices. Undaunted commitment and efforts to put the State in the forefront, I was conferred with an appreciation certificate and cash award from the Hon’ble Chief Minister on November 1st (AP formation Day).
During the brief stint as Director of Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh conducted Rabindranath Tagore’s 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations, framed a plan of action utilized by the 13th finance commission schemes, and conducted cultural events for the global investment summit.
As the Joint Commissioner, Computer Systems from 2012 to 2013, initiated several online services for dealers to minimize human interface including c-way bill system, Rs 100/- e-filing of VAT & TOT Returns, and introduction of RTGS payment of taxes.
Also been a Technical member in the APPSC board on several occasions and in the year 2016, worked and retired as a Department member, AP VAT Tribunal, Visakhapatnam.