PUDUCHERRY: Revenue mobilisation by the previous Congress government under V Vaithilingam had exceeded the target by Rs 300 crore in 2010-2011. According to government sources, the State succeeded in mobilisation of more than Rs 1,800 crore as against anticipated revenue of Rs 1,500 crore (budget estimates). This will benefit the All India N R Congress government led by N Rangasamy to avail of more Central funds and securing a higher plan size during the meeting with the Planning Commission.Higher collection in the past one-and-a-half years is attributed to on-line filing of tax returns, minimising tax evasion, better recovery and follow up, and realisation of past arrears, a senior official told Express.There has been good revenue collection from sales tax and excise duty, two main revenue generators for Puducherry, with the commercial tax revenue climbing to Rs 833 crore while the excise duty from liquor netting `378 crore in 2010-2011.The commercial taxes department collected Rs 594.60 crore from VAT and Rs 234.44 crore from Central sales tax (CST) adding to Rs 833 crore which is Rs 196.22 crore higher than previous year’s Rs 636.78 crore (Rs 453.11 crore VAT and Rs 183.67 crore CST). In the current year the department is netting an average collection of Rs 59 crore per month. The excise duty on arrack and IMFL has gone up by Rs 49 crore compared to the previous year.This enables the UT to avail of more Central funds during the meeting and finalise a higher plan size. In the previous year Puducherry received a Central assistance for plan schemes of around Rs 200 crore for an outlay of Rs 2,500 crore, government sources said. In the plan review meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Rangasamy last evening at least 15 to 20 government departments projected plan proposals higher than previous year, said a senior officer. Funds are required for running the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute as well as further construction of the college. With old age pension being revised, higher allocation is required by Women and Child department. The Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs needs allocation for supply of free rice to ration card holders, educational assistance for Centac-sponsored students of professional colleges under Perunthalaivar Kamaraj Financial assistance scheme for students, Social welfare department for implementing social sector schemes are some of the areas based on which higher allocation has been sought.
Comments
0 comment