The Rs 14 billion revenue collection target set by the Sindh government for the 2004-05 fiscal seems difficult to be met as the frequent power breakdown and the continued increase in petroleum products have been adversely affecting the manufacturing sector. Sources said on Thursday that on one hand load shedding and on the other intermittent power outage disturbed production of goods that generates central excise duty and other charges remained low. Apart from the central excise duty, the other major source of revenue collection is infrastructure cess, property tax, motor vehicle tax, stamp duty, and land revenue.
These sectors have posed a collection problem to the revenue staff. Sources said that more than Rs 3 billion to Rs 4 billion was yet to be collected as arrears of property tax alone pending for the last more than five years.
Officials said that despite repeated notices people were reluctant to pay the arrears.
They said that the department had already extended the facility of easy instalments to those who want to clear their liabilities.
They said that instead of coming up with the request of easy instalment facility people want write-off, which was impossible.
They said that people should realise the complications they were creating for themselves or in case they were no more for their families.
They said that the defaulters should know the complications of the procedures of collection of dues as arrears of land revenue, which may deprive them of their properties.
Officials said that trend of non-payment was on the increase and there was need to adopt stringent measures to deal with this situation.
They said that the adviser to the chief minister on excise and taxation M.A. Jalil and the newly appointed Mir Hussein Ali were making all out efforts to achieve the revenue collection target and have accelerated the recovery of dues drive but the results were poor so far.
They said that the provincial secretary excise and taxation in a recent meeting with the officers directed them to accelerate their recovery drive.
He has also expressed his displeasure over the working of the excise staff, which has failed to effectively deal with the production of illicit alcohol throughout the province.
The provincial excise and taxation department has also been accused by people representatives for it its failure to check open sale and purchase of narcotics.
They said that the excise and taxation staff in collaboration with the city police was providing protection to these illegal outlets of narcotics.
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