looking at the huge demand for resources in the State, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi has set an ambitious target of collection of revenue of Rs36,740 crore during 2017-18.
While the State is passing through a tough time due to a slowdown of Central funds and the sluggishness of market, generation of more revenue is uppermost mind of the State administration to avoid more market borrowings, said a Government official.
With the beginning of the fiscal year, the Chief Secretary has urged the revenue-generating departments to gear up for collection of more revenue as there is a resource crunch to undertake developmental and infrastructure projects.
Padhi, while talking to the departmental Secretaries, has made it clear that on both tax and nontax revenue collection fronts no laxity would be tolerated, and specific targets have been assigned for every quarters of the fiscal, said sources.
While a tax revenue collection target for 2017-18 is fixed at Rs27,200 crore, a VAT collection target has been set at Rs15,900 crore.
Excise revenue collection is aimed at Rs3,600 crore, which seems to be on a higher side as due to recent orders of the Supreme Court, as many as 1,167 liquor shops have been closed down as they are found inside 500 metre from the National Highways and State Highways.
The excise authorities are apprehending a loss of Rs1,200 crore during 2017-18 if these shops are sealed during the entire year. However, the State Government has taken steps to de-notify some of the State Highways as “Urban Roads”, which may save the situation, feel officials in the Directorate of Excise.
A target for taxes on vehicles is set at Rs1,350 crore for 2017-18. However, with Transport Commissioner DS Kutey having left for joining as OSD in the CMO, no new incumbent has yet taken charge of Transport Commissioner. So, collection of transport revenue is likely to be affected. A fulltime Transport Commissioner needs to be appointed, feel officials. Kutey had proved to be an effective Transport Commissioner.
On the stamps and registration fronts, the State is expecting revenue worth Rs1,400 crore, and land revenue collection is set at Rs640 crore. However, of late, it is seen that district Collectors are not attaching importance to land revenue collection, for which revenue generation on this front is affected.
As regards nontax revenue collection, the Chief Secretary has set a target of Rs9,540 crore and lion’s share is expected from the mining sector.
The revenue collection target for nonferrous mining and metallurgical industries is fixed at Rs6,630 crore. For the last three years, collection of royalty from the metal sector has suffered due to the sluggish market condition. On an average, 14 per cent less collection of royalty from this sector was reported during 2016-17, said sources.