Karnataka revenue hits high note in new financial year
Karnataka has ringed in the 2021-22 financial year on a promising note: Most revenue-earning departments have exceeded their annual target for the previous year despite the lockdown-induced slowdown in the first two quarters due to the pandemic.
The commercial taxes department has mopped up Rs 82,491 crore as against the target of Rs 82,443 crore and the excise department surpassed the target of Rs 22, 700 crore by collecting Rs 23,131 crore through duties on liquor sales in the year of distress that ended on March 31. Even the transport department that looked the most sluggish exceeded its target and collected Rs 5,609 crore motor vehicle tax, which is Rs 91 crore more than what it had estimated. The department, in all, racked up Rs 56,615 crore against the target of Rs 5,525 crore that includes non-tax revenue.
Property registration was the only head that missed the target as stamps & registration duties fetched only Rs 10,481 crore while the target was Rs 12,655 crore. Yet, the revenue collection was better in 2020-21 as compared to Rs 10,248 crore in the previous year.
Officials in the finance department said the spectacular performance shows the resilience of the state’s economy that is bouncing back after an unprecedented recession. They said the Centre’s GST compensation of Rs 12,407 crore released in 13 instalments under the special window of borrowing largely helped in reaching the respectable figures under the commercial taxes head. The commercial taxes collected include sales tax on petrol and diesel that fetched more than Rs 2,000 crore additional revenue due to hike in fuel prices and professional tax.
Chief minister BS Yediyurappa has in fact downsized commercial tax target for 2021-22 to Rs 76,473 crore, but officials said more turnaround is expected in the new year and it is likely that the target will be surpassed by a big margin. “We hope the second surge of Covid recedes soon to see positive momentum that the economy has now gathered will grow stronger,” said finance secretary Ekroop Caur.
Buoyed by the positive development, the finance department has even given nod to all departments to go ahead with recruitments with its consent case by case. The recruitments were frozen and a blanket ban was issued on filing the existing vacancies across the departments.
“It is only a small beginning with a positive note after the long-drawn lull. What we expect is that departments are given free hand to fill all vacancies on their own,” said CS Shadakshari, president of Karnataka State Government Employees Association. Pointing out that of 7.20 lakh sanctioned posts, more than 2.45 lakh are vacant, he urged the important posts in the departments like revenue, health, agriculture and education must be filled at the earliest.
S Sampathraman, president of All-India Manufacturers Organisation, said the economic recovery witnessed in 2020-21 was despite low consumption and the state government will do well to take measures to improve demand for products by creating jobs.FINANCIAL NEWS
Karnataka revenue hits high note in new financial year
Karnataka has ringed in the 2021-22 financial year on a promising note: Most revenue-earning departments have exceeded their annual target for the previous year despite the lockdown-induced slowdown in the first two quarters due to the pandemic.
The commercial taxes department has mopped up Rs 82,491 crore as against the target of Rs 82,443 crore and the excise department surpassed the target of Rs 22, 700 crore by collecting Rs 23,131 crore through duties on liquor sales in the year of distress that ended on March 31. Even the transport department that looked the most sluggish exceeded its target and collected Rs 5,609 crore motor vehicle tax, which is Rs 91 crore more than what it had estimated. The department, in all, racked up Rs 56,615 crore against the target of Rs 5,525 crore that includes non-tax revenue.
Property registration was the only head that missed the target as stamps & registration duties fetched only Rs 10,481 crore while the target was Rs 12,655 crore. Yet, the revenue collection was better in 2020-21 as compared to Rs 10,248 crore in the previous year.
Officials in the finance department said the spectacular performance shows the resilience of the state’s economy that is bouncing back after an unprecedented recession. They said the Centre’s GST compensation of Rs 12,407 crore released in 13 instalments under the special window of borrowing largely helped in reaching the respectable figures under the commercial taxes head. The commercial taxes collected include sales tax on petrol and diesel that fetched more than Rs 2,000 crore additional revenue due to hike in fuel prices and professional tax.
Chief minister BS Yediyurappa has in fact downsized commercial tax target for 2021-22 to Rs 76,473 crore, but officials said more turnaround is expected in the new year and it is likely that the target will be surpassed by a big margin. “We hope the second surge of Covid recedes soon to see positive momentum that the economy has now gathered will grow stronger,” said finance secretary Ekroop Caur.
Buoyed by the positive development, the finance department has even given nod to all departments to go ahead with recruitments with its consent case by case. The recruitments were frozen and a blanket ban was issued on filing the existing vacancies across the departments.
“It is only a small beginning with a positive note after the long-drawn lull. What we expect is that departments are given free hand to fill all vacancies on their own,” said CS Shadakshari, president of Karnataka State Government Employees Association. Pointing out that of 7.20 lakh sanctioned posts, more than 2.45 lakh are vacant, he urged the important posts in the departments like revenue, health, agriculture and education must be filled at the earliest.
S Sampathraman, president of All-India Manufacturers Organisation, said the economic recovery witnessed in 2020-21 was despite low consumption and the state government will do well to take measures to improve demand for products by creating jobs.