E-payment of service tax to be made compulsory for all

Mangalore, Oct 19 (UNI) E-payment of service tax, which had been made mandatory with effect from October one for those required to pay service tax over Rs 50 lakh, would be extended to all service tax payers from the next financial year, Dr John Joseph, Commissioner of Central Excise, Mangalore, said today.

Briefing about e-payment of service tax at a press conference here, he said this facility was hassle-free and available 24 hours on all days of the week. Under the commissionerate of Mangalore, there were 14 major service tax payers paying more than Rs 50 lakh, besides 4,000 service tax assessees.

Dr Joseph said branches of three banks - Corporation Bank, State Bank of India and Syndicate Bank -- have been designated for e-payment under the jurisdiction of Mangalore Commissionerate.

He said the Mangalore Commissionerate had collected Rs 122 crore service tax revenue last year. During the half year period of the current fiscal, the Commissionerate had collected Rs 64 crore which was 26.8 per cent more when compared to the corresponding period last year. The Commissionerate had collected Rs 3,500 crore Central Excise Tax during 2005-2006, which was three per cent of the total central excise revenue of the entire nation, he added.

UNI MA GD TS1623