Under VB watch, tax collection shoots up

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) conducted a surprise check at the inter-state tax collection centre at Shambhu near Rajpura in Patiala district today, leading to an almost three-fold surge in revenue collection and the entries of vehicles.

VB chief BK Uppal said the bureau had received complaints regarding overcharging during the collection of inter-state taxes and irregularities in entries of vehicles at the Shambu barrier. He said a team led by Pritipal Singh, SP, Economic Offences Wing, reported that no display board showing details of facilitation fees or user charges was put up at the collection office. An employee was found working round the clock despite the deployment of four employees on eight-hour duty. He said the VB would send a detailed report to the Excise and Taxation Department to take action on the basis of these findings.

Uppal said the team had inspected tax documents of taxis and other vehicles from 8 am to late evening. Some vehicle owners were found to be defaulters in the payment of road taxes and Rs 15,230 was collected as taxes from them on the spot.

He said the bureau had scrutinised collection records for the previous 10 days and found that only 150-200 inter-state vehicles were shown in the entries, with collections of an estimated Rs 2 lakh tax in 24 hours. The VB team reported the entry of about 450 vehicles, while Rs 5.38 lakh was collected as inter-state taxes. He added that the entries of vehicles at the barrier had shot up to nearly 286% and state revenue enhanced by 239%. Uppal said the bureau would continue the inspections so as to check tax evasion.

No display board for user charges 

A Vigilance Bureau team found that no display board showing details of facilitation fees or user charges was put up at the collection office. An employee was found working round the clock despite the deployment of four employees on eight-hour duty.