Need to bridge GST revenue gap: Thakur

Shimla, August 9

CCTV cameras would be installed on the premises of all the 18 bottling plants situated in the state to check illegal transportation and sale of liquor thereby causing loss of revenue to the state exchequer, said Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while chairing the review meeting of State Excise and Taxation Department held here today.

He said efforts should be made to bridge the GST revenue gap as this was the major area of concern that needed to be redressed at the earliest by taking proactive steps for tax collections and checking the loopholes. He said the  government had fixed a target of tax collection of Rs 8,000 crore during the current financial year.

Thakur said the department must study tax collection procedure of best performing states and replicate the same in Himachal. He said that investment in areas such as tourism, convention halls, shopping mall should be attracted so as to increase consumption as per recommendations by the committee appointed by the GST Council to study revenue gap. — TNS