`U`khand for better tax collection, no new taxes`

Uttarakhand Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh has asked officials to ensure proper collection of existing taxes.

Dehra Dun: Uttarakhand Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh has asked officials to ensure proper collection of existing taxes instead of implementing new ones to improve the financial condition of the state.

Chairing a meeting of commercial tax department here yesterday, Hridayesh asked the officials to make improvements in tax recovery process and said the proper collection of existing taxes should be ensured instead of imposing new taxes on people, an official release said.

She added that mafia raj would not be allowed to flourish in the state and asked the officials to recover taxes without any fear.

The minister also instructed the officials to maintain coordination between the administration and the Commercial Tax Department. She said the help from District Magistrates can improve the the process of tax collection.

"Till the practice of evading tax payment among the tax payers is stopped, the financial condition of the state cannot be improved," she said, adding that the district with maximum tax collection would be awarded.

During the meeting, she also advocated simplifying the tax payment process.
Hridayesh pointed out that the owners of banquet halls were being charged 5 per cent tax for rent above Rs 10,000, but they concealed the exact profit.

She asked District Magistrates to hold meetings with the owners of banquet halls and instructed the Secretary Finance to explore the possibility of fixing tax on banquet halls on the basis of the their area.

She also laid emphasis on giving more attention towards collection of Luxury Tax and making amendments in Saray Act.
She also asked the District Magistrates to ensure 100 per cent registrations of hotels and guest houses and instructed them to check tax evasion in mining and timber business and give preference to collect taxes from larger evaders.

She also asked the officials to concentrate more on collection of taxes from stamp registration and entertainment tax from cable TV networks and river rafting Companies.

PTI

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.