Squeezed by Centre, Dispur hikes royalty

Royalty rates of building material doubled, Rs 100 crore revenue mop-up targeted

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 30: In the face of acute cash crunch  with the Centre tightening its purse strings on Centrally-sponsored schemes, the Tarun Gogoi government has now resorted to revise its royalty rates on various items, a move bound to make commoners feel the pinch.

Through a notification on June 17 this year, the State government has hiked royalty rates of various minor minerals by as much as 100 per cent from previous rates which had been in effect since March 16, 2013. The government’s decision has come at a time when common people in the State are reeling from ubated price rise of a broad range of essential goods and foodstuffs..

The revised rates of royalty are set to shatter the dreams of many in the State planning to build their dream house as the royalties of construction materials like stone, sand and granite too have been doubled.

The royalty over building stone (per cu. M) which was earlier Rs 100 will now be Rs 200. Similarly, royalty of gravel (per cu. M) which was earlier Rs 100 will now be  Rs 200. Royalty over ordiry clay will now be Rs 30 (per cu. M), which was earlier Rs 15. Ordiry sand, other than sand used for prescribed purpose, will now be charged a royalty of Rs 140 (per cu. M) instead of Rs 70.

The royalty on boulder will now be Rs 200 (per cu. M) against Rs 100 (per cu. M) earlier. Shingle will now be charged a royalty of Rs 151 (per cu. M) against Rs 75 (per cu. M) earlier. Brick earth with a royalty of Rs 15 (per cu. M) will now be charged Rs 30. Granite which had a royalty rate of Rs 70 will now be charged with a royalty of Rs 140 (per cu. M).

The State government is planning to collect total revenue of Rs 100 crore in the fincial year 2015-16 by revising the royalty rates. The royalty over alcoholic beverages have already been hiked in the State, and through this move Dispur is targeting an additiol revenue mop-up of Rs. 600 crore in the current fincial year.