'Odisha fails to collect Rs 7125.24cr revenue due to courts'

The Odisha government was unable to collect revenue of Rs 7125.24 crore due to stays by different courts, Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat told the state assembly today.
Replying to a written question of BJD member Sanjib Kumar Sahoo, he said the state govenrment has already prepared a list of defaulters who owe Rs 1 crore or above but the revenue could not be realised due to court cases.
The highest amount of Rs 2085.96 crore could not be realised as commercial tax from 109 organisations. Sterilite Energy Ltd/Vedanta Ltd owe Rs 202.77 crore followed by Bhushan Steel Limited with Rs 195.50 crore, G M R Kamalanga Energy Limited owned Rs 135.17 crore and Rs 113.87 crore of IFFCO Limited, Amat said.

Similarly, Rs 1874.01 crore could not be collected from 26 organisations as electricity duty by the energy department, he said.
The highest amount of Rs 872.14 crore could not be realised as power bill from Indian Charge Chrome/IMFA followed by Rs 354 crore from central public sector Nalco and Rs 314.81 crore from Rourkela Steel Plant, he said.
The steel and mines department failed to collect Rs 1809.70 crore as mines royalty from 11 different organisations, like Rs 1317.17 crore from MCL, Sambalpur, Rs 328.42 crore from Tisco, Joda East Iron Mines, Rs 65.88 crore from R P Sao, Joda Guali Iron Mines, Rs 26.08 crore from Nalco, PP Mali, Rs 25.09 crore from Rungta Mines Limited, Joda, Jajng Iron Mines among others.

The finance minister further said the water resources department also could not collect industrial water rate from 13 organisations which amounted to Rs 1281.66 crore. The major defaulters are Nalco, Angul (Rs 439.01 crore), Ballarpur Industries (Seva) (Rs 291.82 crore), Ballarpur Industries (Rs 158.67 crore), SE Railways, Jharsuguda (Rs 138.12 crore).
Forest and Environment department was yet to collect Rs 52.29 crore from contractors as forest development tax while excise department failed to collect Rs 21.62 crore from two authorised business firms, Amat said, adding steps were being taken to resolve the matter including appointment of special arbitrators.