PANJIM: Excise department has set a revenue collection target of Rs 300 crore for the financial year 2015-16.
Excise Commissioner Menino D’Souza said, “We will be able to achieve the target as last year the total revenue was Rs 262 crore and lot of revenue leakage controls have been adopted by the department.”
Much of the revenue collected by the Excise department is from duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). Last year Rs 87.75 crore was collected from IMFL duty alone. The duty collected from IMFL and beer jumps in the festive season and in November and December.
Goa being a tourist State and liquor comparatively cheaper than in other States, the consumption is very high. The department is also not trying to make any changes in the tax structure, D’Souza said.
Collection by the department has been increasing marginally every year by 7 to 8 per cent. The department has collected Rs 200 crore in 2012-13, Rs 233 crore in 2013-14 and Rs 262 crore in 2014-15.
D’Souza said the department is taking precautions to stop revenue leakages which occur due to weak vigilance at the State borders and lack of infrastructure there. The department has six border check posts and all will be connected with broadband, CCTV and online services, D’Souza said.
“We have already proposed the work with the IT department and will finalize it after meeting the financial implications,” he said.
Duplication of permits which used to occur in the past will be also stopped. D’Souza said the department has commenced issuing online permits which will be valid for 15 days and once a vehicle crosses the State border the permit will become invalid on the system.
