PAC directs Transport dept to submit ATR to recover revenue

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Meghalaya Assembly Wednesday directed the Transport department to submit its action taken report (ATR) to recover revenue loss to the tune of Rs 152.56 crore within three months.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting held here, PAC chairman Charles Pyngrope said the committee in its deliberation has taken serious note of the CAG report for year ended March 31, 2017 which clearly indicated "lapses" in the Transport department leading to revenue loss of Rs 152.56 crore.

He said one of the main reasons for such loss was due to the "non-performance" or the "ineffectiveness" of the officers concerned to take action on penalties and other taxes which could have raised the states exchequer.

Supplementing to this, member and Congress legislator from Rangsakona Zenith Sangma informed that there were 52 cases of revenue loss detected which include 22 relating to short realisation of revenue amounting to Rs 49 crore and 23 are those relating to other irregularities amounting to Rs 101.80 crore.

Stating that senior officials of the department who were summoned before the PAC have assured to recover the revenue loss from the different defaulters, Sangma said, "We have given the department three months time to submit its action taken report."