KARACHI – Officers of the Revenue Department who achieve the government-fixed targets would be rewarded and given incentives and those found negligent and involved in corruption would be punished, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said on Monday. The chief minister was presiding over a high-level meeting at Chief Minister’s House to review the progress on revenue collection and various taxes in the province. Directing the revenue and tax collection departments to pay full attention on achieving the targets fixed by government, Shah said that the officers working with honesty and dedication would be rewarded.
However, taking serious notice of some Revenue Department sub-registrars not achieving the revenue collection targets, the chief minister directed that such negligent, careless and corrupt sub-registrars be transferred and punished departmentally. Regarding reports of corruption by some tapedars and mukhtiarkars, Shah directed the concerned authorities that thorough vigilance be kept on such activities and prompt action taken against such officers. The chief minister appreciated the overall performance of the Revenue and the Excise & Taxation departments and hoped that the targets fixed by the government are achieved before June 2011.
“Vacant posts in the Revenue Department should be filled under the prescribed recruitment rules and policies in a transparent manner,” he added. Various issues for generation of funds through taxes were also discussed at the meeting and the chief secretary was directed that a meeting of relevant departments should be held for preparing some proposals to be discussed before the new budget. Earlier, Sindh Revenue Minister Jam Mehtab Dahar, Excise & Taxation Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla and Secretary Manzoor Memon, Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Board of Revenue members Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha and Asadullah Dharejo presented reports pertaining to the targets of revenue and taxes collection.
It was informed at the meeting that as against the target of Rs 900 million on registration of properties during the fiscal year 2010-11, up to February 2011 an amount of Rs 470.776 million was collected while Rs 980 million were realised as against the target of Rs 6.5 billion as stamp duty. It was informed at the meeting that due to the economy crisis in the country, particularly in the field of real estate, property transaction deals have decreased and the overall recovery position of stamp duty was badly affected and the stamp duty was also reduced. Various recommendations were proposed at the meeting with regard to stamp duty for general power of attorney, purchase orders, etc.
Regarding the Excise and Taxation Department, which has been entrusted with two functions of tax collection and narcotics suppression, it was informed at the meeting that the total tax target for the Financial Year 2011 was Rs 20.1383 billion and Rs 12.585 billion as proportionate target amount up to the month of February. As per details, Rs 1.902 billion were collected against Motor Vehicle Tax; Rs 1.760 billion as excise; Rs 8.422 billion for infrastructure cess; Rs.146.621 million as cotton fee, Rs 167.563 as professional tax and Rs 85.049 million for hotel tax.
The meeting was also attended by Sindh Chief Secretary Abdul Subhan Memon, Secretary to Chief Minister Alamuddin Bullo among the officers of the departments concerned.
