Govt's resource mobilisation drive : Govt readies plan to levy wealth, building taxes
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 21 2012: With a view to enhance resource mobilisation, the State Government has drawn up a plan to levy wealth tax, service tax and building tax against high-rise and/or mega buildings.

Imphal Municipal Council would enforce the same plan soon.

This was stated by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi in the State Assembly today while discussing the supplementary demand for grants 2011-12 .

Claiming that resource mobilisation of the State has improved considerably in the last years, Ibobi informed the House that the Government has been studying to enhance resource mobilisation in power sector.

Informing the House that the Government has been discussing with consultants whether it would be better or not to hand over the task of tax collection to private parties, Ibobi conceded that the Government has been facing an uphill task in collecting power tax as only 7 MW is available from Loktak Project at present as against 18 MW generally available during rainy season.

The Government has been looking into the possibility of setting up a Power Development Corporation in order to improve the power situation as well as collection of power tax.

Preparations to introduce pre-paid power meter system in Thangal Bazar and Paona Bazar have been going on in full swing.

To develop requisite infrastructure including office complexes equipped with water tanks for SDOs and BDOs posted in remote areas of the hills and valley, an amount of Rs 20 crores has been earmarked from SPA.

Befitting actions would be taken if the SDOs and BDOs do not station themselves at their places of posting and carry out their duties in a satisfactory manner even after all the requisite infrastructure have been put into place, Ibobi assured the House.

Efforts are on to set up Manipur Transport Corporation and frame a transport policy so as to streamline transport system in the State.

Though there is no provision to station doctors in each and every Public Health Sub-Centres, doctors are stationed in PHSCs where they are needed.

Informing the House that the State has been facing shortage of 278 specialist doctors, Medical Officers who have occupied their posts for five years would be granted study leave so that they can undertake Post-Graduate studies.

After completing Post-Graduate, these doctors should serve under the State Government not less than ten years.

In case, they wish to leave the State Government service, they should pay back the amount they got as monthly salaries, Ibobi stated.

Taking part in the discussion for Supplementary Demand for Grants, MLA L Ibomcha asserted that there is a need to review if the service of VDF is still needed.

He also sought attention of the Government to check if those executing contract works without work orders have been maintaining quality of the works or not.

Dr I Ibohalbi suggested that wealth tax and property tax may be levied against high-rise and/or mega buildings for enhancing resource mobilisation of the State.

He also voiced his desire for all departments to pay liabilities indebted to them and also to make the Government account 8449 a two-way system which is currently functioning as a one-way system.

Questioning if the VDF personnel who have been allotted arms were properly trained or not, Dr Ibohalbi, referring to the abduction of Sadar Hills ADC Vice Chairman, further asked if there was any security lapse.

Th Shyamkumar also took part in the discussion.

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