Team Herald

PORVORIM: The cash-strapped Goa government has racked up revenue arrears to the tune of Rs 5,245.26 crore in 2020-21, of which 51 per cent has been pending for more than three years, revealed the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

The auditing agency has recommended to the State government to ensure speedy recovery of arrears

of revenue, which is almost Rs 3,382.25 crore.

“This would not only help the Government to increase its revenue receipts but also facilitate achievement of revenue deficit targets to a large extent,” the CAG said in its report. The CAG said that Rs 2,650.49 crore of revenue arrears has been outstanding for more than three years.

Further, Rs 1,863.01 crore out of the total outstanding was under legal adjudication, leaving arrears of Rs 3,382.25 crore, which are yet to be recovered.

The CAG also pointed out that the arrears of revenue increased threefold in the last four years, from Rs 1,628.27 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 5,245.26 crore in 2020-21. “This accounted for 74 per cent of the State’s own resources, that is Rs 7,054 crore during the year,” CAG said.

The Commercial Tax Department is the biggest defaulter on the recovery front. A sum of Rs 2,368.53 is pending to be recovered by the Department, of which Rs Rs 1839.10 crore has been pending for more than three years. The Department said that 749 cases are pending in the Revenue Recovery Court (RRC).

The second major defaulter is the WRD, which has failed to recover more than Rs 2,182.56 cr over the years. The amount due is in the form of water tax, water charges and rents, among others. Nearly 200 cases are pending for recovery in various courts.

The Electricity Department is due to recover Rs 517.86 crore from its consumers, another Rs 110.47 crore is due for recovery from the PWD.

The other defaulters include the Departments of Animal Husbandry, Tourism, Printing and Stationary, Police and Excise.