Karnataka incurs revenue loss of Rs 1,016 cr: CAG

Bangalore, July 25 (UNI) The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in a report on revenue receipts of Karantaka Government for 2005-06 today revealed that the State Exchequer had suffered a revenue loss to the tune of Rs 1016.84 crore in 1,464 cases.

The CAG report tabled in the State Assembly said a test check of records of Sales tax, State Excise, Tax on motor Vehicles, Agricultural income tax, land revenue, mineral receipts, stamps and registration fees and other levies, conducted for the period 2005-06 had shown under assessment, non or short levy of taxes and loss of revenue to the tune of Rs 1016.84 crore.

The report said lack of coordination between Land, Revenue and Mines and Geology Department had resulted in illegal mining, leading to a loss of Rs 284 crore.

It said the government had also lost Rs 81.76 crore due to incorrect fixation of minimum bid for disposal of lease for quarrying ordinary sand, besides another Rs 122.39 crore due to non-levy of penalty for dispatching stones blocks used in construction without obtaining mineral dispatch permits for the period 2000-01 to 2004-05.

Passing strictures against the Stamps and Registrations Department, the report said there was no system in the Department to obtain information periodically from all the persons regularly executing instruments that attract stamp duty, amount realised or to be realised thereunder, stamp duty payable thereon together with details of payment. ''Consequently the extent of compliance with the provisions of the Act was not ascertainable from the records of the department'' it said.

The CAG said the test check of records of 26 government departments, statutory corporations and public sector undertakings for the period 2000-01 to 2004-05 indicated that stamp duty had not been realised or short realised to the tune of Rs 100.19 crore.

UNI