Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Tuesday stated that the government is contemplating reduction of motor vehicle tax in the State to boost automobile sales.
Speaking about revenue collection through the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Sawant stated that revenue through the motor vehicle sales has dropped in comparison to previous years. “In order to boost and encourage the people to come to Goa to purchase vehicles, we will contemplate reducing the motor vehicle tax in the State, which will add revenue to the State,” he stated.
The Chief Minister informed the House that around 2,500 tax evasion cases are pending with revenue outstanding at around Rs 300 crore. He said, “We will come up with a one-time settlement scheme wherein we will give 50 per cent rebate to the defaulters and give them an opportunity to pay their tax dues and not go into further litigations.”
He further stated that anybody, whether Goan or from outside the State carrying out business in the State will have to pay taxes and the government is monitoring every business.
When Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat brought to the notice that all the candidates who appeared for the written examination for the post of accountant had failed, the Chief Minister acknowledged this and conceded that the Department of Accounts is facing an acute shortage of accountants. He said, “We will readvertise the posts for the accountants and exams will be conducted.”
Stating that the government was well within its limits to seek loans, Sawant further said that the State is currently under loan of Rs 15,511 crore and the credit limit for the State is up to Rs 22,000 crore. “Let there be no confusion that these loans have been taken only during the last five years. We are paying instalments of loans taken during the last 20 years,” he added.
