Rise in Revenue in Bihar

PATNA: Devastating floods notwithstanding, the state has registered a rise in revenue collection during the current financial year. Stating this, deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi told a review meeting the revenue collection departments will try to meet their targets. He said till November 2007, the excise department collected Rs 303.34 crore, an increase of 23 per cent over the last financial year collection. The registration department collected Rs 125 crore more and till November this year its revenue collection stood at Rs 458.72 crore. The transport department collected over Rs 147 crore compared to Rs 129 crore by the same time in the last financial year. Similarly, the commercial taxes department registered an increase of 22 per cent by collecting more than Rs 1,832 crore. Around 55 per cent of the liquor shops have been settled in accordance with the new excise policy, he said and directed excise officials to settle all liquor shops by March 2008. He also asked them to put holograms on liquor bottles and sachets to avoid tax evasion. The registration department has already registered 10,556 flats and collected overg Rs 77 crore. He said e-stamping would be introduced to remove irregularities in registration. However, the deputy chief minister said the revenue collection of the transport department has not been encouraging despite an increase. He said a special drive should be launched for revenue collection. He also asked the commercial taxes department to increase its pace of revenue collection.