Odisha fails to collect Rs 2,754.20cr from industries

The Odisha government has failed to collect about Rs 2,754.20 crore in revenue from the industrial units operating in the state, the Odisha Finance Minister said on Monday.

"Since cases are still sub judice in different courts, the government has not been to recover the arrears," Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat told the state assembly.

Replying to a written question of Congress member Anshuman Mohanty, the minister said the highest amount of Rs 2,085.96 crore under the head of commercial tax is yet to be realised from 109 organisations.

While Sterlite Energy Ltd/Vedanta Ltd is yet to pay Rs 202.77 crore in arrears, Bhushan Steel Ltd has to pay Rs 195.50 crore, followed by Rs 135.17 crore dues from GMR Kamalanga Energy Ltd and Rs 113.87 crore from IFFCO Ltd, according to the minister.

Vedanta Aluminium owes Rs 93.09 crore, Adani Enterprises Rs 90.16 crore and Jindal Stainless Steel Rs 82.10 crore, the minister added.

Similarly, Rs 597.38 crore could not be collected from 23 organisations as electricity duty by the Department of Energy, Amat said.

The highest amount of Rs 274.97 crore could not be collected as power dues from Rourkela Steel Plant of SAIL, followed by Rs 59.11 crore from Indian Charge Chrome/IMFA.

The Forests & Environment Department could not collect Rs 49.24 crore, while the Department of Excise failed to collect Rs 21.62 crore revenue, Amat said.

He, however, maintained that the state government was trying to resolve the matter through out-of-court settlements and other ways.

--IANS

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