The shifting of the Sales Tax Assessment Office from Talcher to Angul has caused resentment among the locals here. Since Talcher is a business hub with several mines and industries in operation, sale tax filing here is high and hence, the locals have demanded that the office be reopened in the Talcher Sub-Collector office campus.
It has been over five months now since the Sales Tax Assessment Office at Talcher was shifted to Angul. Despite an assurance given by the tax administration to the Angul District Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ADCCI) to resolve the impasse regarding the building of the office in a week’s time, no concrete step has been taken so far by the authority to hire a new building on rent for functioning of the office.
It is learnt that Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) has allotted a quarter for functioning of the sale tax office at Talcher, but the possession of the allotted quarter is yet to be taken over by the Sales Tax Department.
This apathetic attitude of the department towards a revenue generating place like Talcher has caused widespread resentment in the locality.
Besides serving as a revenue collection centre, the tax assessment unit has also been functioning as a facilitation cell and helpdesk for over 4,000 dealers since its inception in 2008.
A large number of computer illiterate dealers still look up to the assessment unit for help in registration, return filing and other related works in the new tax regime.
Ever since the office was shifted to Angul against the will of the people, the dealers feel cheated by the department as the unpopular decision has caused unease and compliance problems to the dealers.
When there is a thrust in the Government on ease of doing business, it is but natural that they would quite expectedly prefer to take the help of a Government office located nearby.
In view of the difficulties being faced by the dealers in the GST regime, there is a demand for up-gradation of the office into a circle. However, vested interests sitting higher up in the administration and unscrupulous elements in the business have allied together to allow unrestrained flow of unaccounted goods into the area without fear of being caught.
This has resulted in substantial loss of tax revenue for the State and contraction of business for local dealers. There is a widespread demand in the business community to bring back the office to Talcher at the earliest for larger interest of the locality.
Talcher MLA Brajakishore Pradhan discussed with the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in his office at Bhubaneswar and the Commissioner assured that commercial tax office would not be shifted to Angul.
But many apprehend if the office will not be operated within December, then no dealer will file their return and pay their taxes to the State.