Chief secy stresses on mutual settlement of tax disputes

For enhancing the state's own tax revenue, the state chief secretary Gokul Chandra Pati has asked the departments to opt for mutual settlement of tax and royalty disputes instead of fighting legal battles.

At a high-level review meeting on revenue augmentation on Wednesday, Pati has advised the concerned departments to settle tax and royalty disputes through mutual and bilateral discussions instead of taking recourse to litigations.

It has been decided at the meeting that a systematic survey of various types of dealers will be conducted regularly and necessary legal steps will be taken to check sales tax evasion. Pati has also stressed on developing a community based localized system for checking illegal mining.

The state's own tax revenue has recorded an increase of 10.19 per cent over last year by the end of August. There is 21.68 per cent surge in professional tax over the last year collection of Rs 56.44 crore. Land revenue has increased by 18.60 per cent over last year's collection of Rs 119.97 crore . Similarly, revenue collection from vehicles, excise and electricity duties have soared by 23.88 per cent, 25.50 per cent and 22.47 per cent respectively.

The meet deliberated on recommendations submitted by the expert committee on revenue enhancement. The expert committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Sanjib Chandra Hota.

The recommendations of the committee on commercial taxes, state excise duty, motor vehicle tax, land revenue, stamp duty and registration, electricity duty, mining royalty, forest revenue, irrigation & industrial water rate were discussed in the meeting. The concerned departments have been asked to look into the revenue implications of the recommendations and suggest necessary measures for implementation, said an official release.