CM calls for boosting revenue collection

From Staff Correspondent

Shillong, Nov 21: Meghalaya government has directed all State departments vested with realising revenue to take concrete steps to boost revenue, besides realising other additiol dues, even as it tries to re-enter into the once roaring lottery business.

With the recent decision to implement the Pay Commission for the State government employees, additiol burden on the State exchequer is apparent. The NGT ban on illegal coal mining has compounded the State’s fincial mess in the past three years.

Knowing fully well the consequences of living with the promise made to the State government employees, the Cabinet summoned officials of the Department of Excise, Revenue & Taxation (ERT) for a presentation on Tuesday.

“After due presentation, the government directed all departments vested with the responsibility of realising revenue to take steps to boost revenue,” said Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, adding, “The government has embarked upon a number of initiatives to realise more revenue.”

On the Cabinet’s move to re-enter the lottery business, which he termed as a way of generating additiol resources, the Chief Minister said it will be in sync with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notification in 2012. He said the department of ERT has examined the notification of the new lottery rules and felt that it can be operatiolised. Hence the Cabinet has approved it and asked the department to go ahead, he added.

Realising the bitter past experience where a lessee of Meghalaya lottery defaulted Rs 25 crore in the last decade, Sangma said, “However, it been abundantly made clear to the department that the lottery should be branded in the market in such a manner that can compete with other States.”  “We have learnt from the past experience, which was not good. But the ERT department has assured us that the lottery will generate more revenue,” he added.

On Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Chief Minister took a dig at it by saying line departments of the State has been not been able to overcome  with the burden of the tax payers. He said that there has been lots of frustration among the tax payers and that it has even slowed down revenue generation due to lack of course correction by the Central government.

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