Jagan for studying the revenue-generating policies of States performing better than Andhra Pradesh
The Hindu
Goods and Services Tax and other revenue collections are closer to targets, officials tell the Chief Minister
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the officials to study revenue-generating policies adopted by other States that are performing better than Andhra Pradesh so that the State can implement improvised policies.
At a review meeting with revenue-generating departments held at his camp office on Thursday, the officials told the Chief Minister that the State was gradually overcoming the COVID-19 blues while the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and other revenues were closer to targets.
The GST gross collections till December 2022 stood at 26.2% against the national average of 24.8%, surpassing Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat where the GST collections stood at 17.3%, 24.9% and 20.2% respectively, they said.
The officials further said that the GST collections in the State, which stood at ₹26,360.28 crore by the end of January 2022 went up to ₹28,181.86 crore by January 2023, recording a hike of 6.91%.
When the GST and excise collections, professional tax and tax on petrol were taken into consideration, the collections stood at ₹43,206.03 crore by January 2023 against the target of ₹46,231 crore, they explained, adding the State achieved 94% of the targets fixed for tax collection.
“The tax collections are improving due to liberalising of policies, use of data analytics, improving the functioning of the department and by providing proper training to the staff,” they said.
Mining Department officials explained that they were confident of achieving the target of ₹5,000 crore as they were striving to revive non-functioning mines.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.
The 16th edition of Bhoomi Habba was held on June 8, at the Visthar campus. The festival drew a vibrant crowd who came together to celebrate eco-consciousness through a variety of engaging activities, creative workshops, panel discussions, interactive exhibits and performances, all centered around this year’s theme: “Save Water, Save Lives.”