Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed officials of the revenue-earning departments to take steps to ensure that the State’s revenue resources are in tune with the projections made in the Budget estimates.
Revenue earning departments should work in close coordination in this direction and there should not be any scope for irregularities or corruption. The departments concerned should put in place reforms wherever needed, avoiding scope for any irregularities to see that the projected revenue targets were achieved.
The Chief Minister was particular that the official machinery worked in such a manner that there was no scope for any lapses. Mr. Revanth Reddy gave the directions during a meeting with revenue earning departments like Commercial Taxes, Registration and Stamps, Excise and Mining.
The State’s revenue during the financial year 2023-24 did not see any major rise during the fiscal with several departments not achieving the prescribed targets.
As against the Budget estimates of ₹2.16 lakh crore revenue, the State registered ₹1.69 lakh crore revenue. Tax revenues in the form of GST, Sales Tax and others during the fiscal were not up to the expectations.
No scope for GST evasion
Taking cognizance of the shortfall in GST revenues, the Chief Minister instructed the officials to ensure that there was no scope for evasion of GST. Officials should take up field inspections and audit and ensure that there was no scope for evasion. The CM was particular that officials should take steps to see that the lapses during the previous BRS government did not recur.
He inquired about the revenue earned through the State Excise department and asked officials about the reasons behind the lower revenue reported in spite of higher sales registered during the previous financial year.
The CM expressed dissatisfaction that growth in revenue through the Registration and Stamps department was not commensurate with the rise in prices in the real estate market. The meeting discussed about the revision of land values and registration charges in 2021 and it was opined that there was need for ensuring revision of land prices on a yearly basis.
Mr. Revanth Reddy directed the officials to adopt a scientific approach in this direction in line with the prescribed Acts.
Published - May 16, 2024 10:17 pm IST
