Excise revenue grows manifold: Suklabaidya

  STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, May 1: State Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya has claimed that the Assam government’s excise revenue has contributed Rs 1,700 crore in the last fiscal (2017-18) to the State exchequer which is relatively a big jump from the Rs 3,99 crore of 2015-16.

The minister speculated that the collection may go up further in the ensuing fiscal. Suklabaidya told to the media on the sideline of releasing the State BJP’s mouthpiece, Axomiya BJP Barta at the party’s State headquarters at Hengrabari in Guwahati on Tuesday. 

When the minister was asked about his fresh responsibility, as he has got the Department of Environment and Forest from Pramila Rani Brahma in the recent expansion and reshuffling, Suklabaidya said that there are allegations that the department gripped by corruption and forest mafia, besides political pressure. “Therefore, my first and foremost duty and dedication is to clear the forest department of this allegation,” said the minister. Acknowledging his predecessor, Suklabaidya said that the minister put an extended effort to liberate the department from alleged corruption.