Even as the State has one of the highest own tax revenues to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) ratio, the ratio of non-tax revenue to total receipts has not been increasing over the years. It will reach 0.73 per cent of GSDP in 2012-13.
Non- tax revenue includes receipts from social, economic and general services and interests and dividends. Non-tax revenue as a per cent of GSDP will decline to 0.73 per cent in 2012-13 from 2.69 per cent in 2004-05. “Non-tax revenue has shown a decline and warrants attention,” the government said.
The State’s GDP was expected to grow at 5.9 per cent to reach Rs. 3,03,444 crore in 2012-13 (GSDP at constant prices 2004-05).
According to the Medium Term Fiscal Plan 2013-2017, which outlined the government’s fiscal strategy, the State revenue receipts are expected to reach Rs. 84,884 crore and of which the State own tax revenues (STOR) would constitute Rs. 53,492 crore and non-tax revenue Rs. 3,796 crore in 2012-13.
The State has one of the lowest non-tax revenues to the GSDP ratios in the country. In many departments, the revision of user charges, fees, and fines and other such non-tax receipts have not taken place for many years. Even with revision of rates and better collection mechanisms, the increase would not be large due to existing low base, the State’s economic survey said.
STOR constituted 65 per cent of total revenue receipts as per the revised budget estimate (Rs. 53,492 crore) for 2012-13 which was more than 15 per cent of the budget actuals of Rs. 46,476 crore in 2011-12. Non-tax revenue stood at Rs. 3,334 crore in 2009-10, Rs. 3,358 crore in 2010-11 and Rs. 4,087 crore in 2011-12. The major single sources of non-tax revenues are from mining and forest development tax. The government expected non-tax revenue of Rs. 178 crore from forest, Rs. 574 crore from interest and dividends, Rs. 1,500 crore from mines and geology and Rs. 1,544 crore from other sources such as user charges in hospitals and drinking water.
Major reasons for the decline in non-tax revenue is the lack of monitoring by departments and the non-revision of user charges in government-run hospitals, irrigation, drinking water, educational institutions, public transport and electricity supply. The Fiscal Management Review Committee headed by the Chief Secretary, which would review fiscal and debt position of the State, has recommended remedial measures such as regular revision of user charges to the check slide in the growth of non-tax revenues.