PSPB suggests widening of tax net to tackle financial crisis

The Puducherry State Planning Board (PSPB) today came up with a slew of suggestions including widening the tax net, to tackle the financial crunch faced by the territorial government.
A release from the Director of Department of Planning and Research said, at the meeting chaired by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, the Board had detailed discussions on fiscal features of Puducherry government.
It also recommended through a draft plan for the fiscal 2017-2018, an outlay of Rs 6,945 crores (Rs 2500 crores under plan and Rs 4,,445 crores under non plan) for the Union Territory.
The draft plan, which was finalised on the basis of the estimated revenue resources and grants from the Centre, will be submitted to the central government for approval, the release said.

It further said that the planning board came out with various suggestions including raising the Union Territory's own resources by widening the tax net, improving efficiency of tax collection, levy of user charges and fees, water charges, profession taxes by local bodies and also generation of resources from traffic enforcement and road safety.
The meeting also stressed on the need for control of expenditure and improvement in quality of spending by the departments.

The Puducherry Assembly had passed Vote on Account during a recent brief session on March 30 and 31 earmarking funds for the first three months (April to June) of the fiscal 2017-2018 as funds sought from the Centre were not available.

Once the present draft plan is approved by the Union Home and Finance Ministries, the Puducherry Assembly would shape its full budget for presentation on the floor of the Assembly.
Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, his cabinet colleagues, Chief Secretary Manoj Parida, Director General of Police S K Gautam, Regional Administrators of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam were among those who participated in the deliberations of the Board.