All time high tax collection in Haryana in 2007-08

Chandigarh, Apr 13 (UNI) The efforts of Haryana Government to plug tax evasion has yielded results with around Rs 10,000 crore being collected as taxes under different heads during the last financial year Besides, the state also recorded a gross increase in VAT and Excise collections in the last fiscal year.

Complimenting the tax collection machiner, Excise and Taxation Minister Birender Singh today said the tax collection was a record of sorts, as it had never been so high in the previous years.

Mr Birender Singh said the total VAT collection had touched Rs 6,440 crore in the last fiscal year, which was about 20 per cent higher than the previous year.

Similarly, the Excise collection touched Rs 1,382 crore, an increase of 12.53 per cent which reflected a record gross increase for all times.

The Minister said in Central Sales Tax (CST), the collection amount was Rs 1357 crore despite the fact that the Central Government had reduced CST rate from four per cent to three per cent.

He said similarly, in Entertainment Duty, 35 per cent increase had been recorded and the total collection was Rs 18 crore in the last financial year as against Rs 13 crore of the previous year.

Mr Birender Singh maintained that in Passenger and Goods Tax, despite reduction in rates, the Excise and Taxation Department had been able to cross its target of Rs 330 crore and it had collected a sum of Rs 338 crore.

However, in Local Area Development Tax (LADT), the collections had been a meager Rs 42 crore due to litigations in the courts.

The Minister said better enforcement and levying of an all time high penalty of Rs 21 crore led to 20 per cent increase in VAT and the highest gross increase in tax collections.

In addition, 11,000 new dealers have been added in the tax xollection list.

Special emphasis has also been laid on collection of arrears which resulted in all time record collection of Rs 125 crore from arrears alone in the last financial year.

He said in Excise collection also, better enforcement and good administration resulted in significant increase in revenue collection.

Besides, the department has been able to provide better quality liquor at an affordable price to the consumers, he said and added ''Transparency have been maintained in allotment of liquor shops by framing a fair and transparent Excise Policy.'' UNI HS SG BST2059