State missing out on amusement taxes
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 07 2013:
Carried away by the habit of relying on New Delhi for all its expenditures, the State Government has failed to collect amusement taxes from a number of entertainment programmes organized almost on daily basis, thus putting the revenue of the State in total disarray.
Even though a number of entertainment programmes are being organized in the State almost on daily basis in various halls and auditoriums, the concerned Department of the State Government has been shying away from collecting amusement taxes from various film releases, premier shows and other entertainment programmes which are conducted through prepaid ticket system including the recently held Manipur Fashion Extravaganza at the hall of Imphal Hotel and the 'Sanagi Khorbakthakta', a musical concert of the yesteryear singers, at MFDC.
According to a highly placed source, collection of taxes from the organizers of entertainment programmes is mandatory under the Assam Amusement and Betting Tax Act, 1939 .
However, no amusement taxes have been collected by the Taxation Department for the last many years.
If at all these taxes have been collected and added to the State exchequer, then the financial condition of Manipur would not have been so much dependent on New Delhi.
However, since the Taxation Department has failed to pay interest to collection of amusement taxes, a huge amount of revenue that could have accrued to the State exchequer has been lost.
The source further revealed that there is no officer in the Taxation Department, who has been especially entrusted with the responsibility of collecting amusement taxes.
Consequently, none of the Inspectors in the Department are also taking interest in this regard.
The only amusement taxes collected by the Taxation Department are from the film shows in cinema halls.
However, the Department does not collect tax from the charity shows held in the cinema halls.
Apart from failing to collect amusement taxes from the entertainment programmes that are held at BOAT, MFDC auditorium, GM Hall, Shumang Leela Shanglen and Hapta Kangjeibung, the Taxation Department also missed out on collecting the same from other entertainment programmes held in different parts of the State.
One of the main reasons for not collecting the amusement taxes is the failure of the State Government to appoint an amusement tax collecting officer 'officially', the source pointed out.
Meanwhile, another source revealed that the concerned authority has decided to appoint an amusement tax collecting officer 'officially' by the beginning of next financial year, i.e.by April 2013 .
For this purpose, an official advertisement would be made known to the public.