The Sindh Excise and Taxation Department against Rs41.7 billion target has recovered Rs11.2 billion during first quarter, July to September 2015, which shows 27 percent recovery.
This was disclosed in a presentation the Excise and Taxation Department gave to Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah in a meeting at the CM House on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by Senior Minister for Finance and Energy Syed Murad Ali Shah, Excise and Taxation Minister Gayan Chand , Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Aijaz Ali Khan, Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput, Secretary Excise , DG Excise and Taxation Shabir Shaikh and other senior officers.
Excise and Taxation Minister Gayan Chand briefing the chief minister said that the Excise and Taxation Department is the main revenue and tax collecting agency of the government which plays a paramount role in resource mobilisation.
He said that his department levies and collects seven different taxes such as Infrastructure Cess, Motor Vehicle Tax (MVT), Excise Duty, Tax on Professions, Trades, Calling and Employment (TPTC&P), Cotton Fee, Property Tax and Entertainment Duty.
Giving details of yearly targets and quarterly recoveries, Gayan Chand said that the department recovered Rs1.2 billion Motor Vehicle Tax against a target of Rs5.5 billion, The Excise Enactment recovery stands at Rs786 million against the target of Rs4.8 billion while Infrastructure Cess recovery is Rs7.2 billion against Rs28 billion target.
Cotton recovery is Rs35.7 million against a Rs500 million target; Professional Tax recovery is Rs133.9 million against a Rs410 million; Property Tax recovery y is Rs784.8 million against a target of Rs.2.44 billion and Entertainment Duty recovery stands at Rs13.4 million against a target of Rs100 million.
Qaim Ali Shah said the target and recovery of property tax are not so much encouraging, otherwise the recoveries of the Excise and Taxation Department are quite good. “There is vast potential to enhance the recoveries of property tax.
“It must be computerized right from assessment to recovery,” he said and directed the department to conduct a fresh survey of property units because the last survey was conducted in 2001. According to law, the department has to conduct a fresh survey after every five years.
Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput quoting his study said that only in Banglorre Rs40 billion are recovered against property tax. “As a matter of fact, Karachi has more than double population than Banglore, so we can enhance property tax recovery,” he said.
DG Excise and Taxation Shabir Shaikh said that from January to this month the Excise Department recovered 7000 kg of charas, 9 kg opium, and 96 bottles of foreign liquor. “We have registered 57 cases and arrested 63 persons,” he said.
He said that they have also recovered four suicide jackets, four detonators, four suicide jackets, remote control sets, three rocket launchers, 12 rocket tube, one rocket of 107 mm, four hand grenades, 108 magazines, 3,550 bullets and 1,260 kalashnikov.
The Excise and Taxation minister said that there are eight check posts of the department at different locations of national and indus highways.
The chief minister directed the Excise Department to purchase latest detecting gadgets for checking the highways.
“You have to take the benefit of latest technology for maximum checking in minimum time, otherwise traffic jams and unnecessary delays cause problems for the travelers,” he urged.
The chief minister also directed the chief secretary to personally monitor the court cases of the Excise Department. “The case against Infrastructure Cess is going on from the last many years. This must be followed actively,” he directed.
