VAT mop-up Rs 150 crore short in HP

The Himachal Pradesh excise department's VAT collection has fallen short by Rs 150 crore, during the past one year since it came into force here.

"Traders and shopkeepers, among others, have a pending amount of Rs 150 crore, which they owe the state government as VAT," said state Excise and Taxation Commissioner S K B S Negi.

"We have decided to get tough with all VAT defaulters and have ordered all field offices in districts to take strict action against erring people," he said.

Sources say many of the defaulters are outsiders to the state whose income is being assessed even in their home states.