Commercial tax collection in Karnataka: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah warns officials to achieve targets – Karnataka News

In a firm warning to government officials, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said those who fail to meet commercial tax collection targets will be held accountable. During a review meeting held to assess the progress in tax collection, Siddaramaiah stressed that it was imperative that tax collections remain at the proper level, stressing the importance of achieving financial targets for the development of the state.

The state has set an ambitious target of Rs 1,10,000 crore for commercial tax collection for the financial year 2024-25. As of end-October, Rs 58,773 crore had been collected, including Rs 44,783 crore from Goods and Services Tax (GST), Rs 13,193 crore from Karnataka State Sales Tax (KST) and Rs 797 crore from occupational tax. This means that the state has now achieved 53.5% of its target, which is Rs 5,957 crore more than the same period last year.

Siddaramaiah noted that to achieve the annual target by March, the state needs to collect an average of Rs 10,200 crore per month for the next five months. “Achieving the goal is important for the development of the state,” he reiterated, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts by all officials involved in tax collection.

To ensure progress, the Chief Minister announced that he will conduct monthly reviews to closely monitor the results. He made it clear that any official who failed to fulfill the assigned tasks would be held accountable. Siddaramaiah also mentioned that the Kar Samadhan scheme, designed to resolve unresolved tax issues, is expected to contribute an additional Rs 2,000 crore to the state’s revenue.

The excise tax collection target for the current financial year has been set at Rs 38,525 crore. As of October 28, the excise department has collected Rs 20,237 crore, reaching 52.53% of the total. This collection represents an increase of Rs 1,301.15 crore over the same period last year.

In light of these figures, Siddaramaiah has directed the excise department to take stringent action against illegal smuggling of liquor from Goa. He stressed the need to meet the March deadline to meet the tax collection target and warned that any allegations of corruption within the department would be dealt with vigorously.