Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 02:
Taking serious note of the pathetic performance of the State Taxation Department, whose contribution to the State coffer has been placed at the bottom among the North East States, the State Government has started studying the functioning of the Department and diligence of officials concerned.
According to a highly placed source, lapses are clearly visible in the functioning of the Taxation Department for the last five years as revenue collection from various sources have been nose diving.
Even Tripura, whose revenue collection sources is the least in the region could churn out sales tax amounting to Rs 200 crore per annum compared to Manipur where tax generation hardly reached the Rs 50 crore mark in the same period, informed the source.
Highlighting that Manipur population is recording gradual rise and import of taxable items for public use subsequently climbing the chart, there is no justification in the Department failing to contribute to the State exchequer, explained the source.
Detailing on the meager sales tax generation for the past five years, the source informed that the Taxation Department chipped in with only Rs 22 crore in 1999-2000 fiscal, Rs 31 crore in 2000-2001, Rs 27 crore in 2001-2002, Rs 43 crore in 2002-2003 while the 2003-2004 period is stuttering at Rs 36 crore.
In view of the steady decline in sales tax generation, chief Secretary Jarnail Singh is reported to have issued strong instructions to Department officials concerned to ascertain the hard facts and explain reasons for the dismal performance.
The source also informed that Chief Secretary has instructed top officials of the Department during two separate meetings held last month to detect flaws in execution of tax drives and to dispense assigned tasks with sincerity so as to achieve the target set by the Government.
The Chief Secretary has also decided to review the performance of the Department every month, said the source.