BY ABDUL RAUF BEIG | NT
PANAJI: Given the uphill task of meeting the highest ever collection of tax revenue of Rs 1,800 crore, the newly-appointed commissioner of commercial tax, Mr Sandip Jacques has initiated steps to not only meet the target but exceed it by at least Rs 22 crore

, and accordingly given the task to his subordinates.
Talking exclusively to The Navhind Times  on Wednesday Mr Jacques, who assumed charge of the post on May 7, said  the target appeared to be too huge and was more than Rs 416 crore than the actuals of Rs 1,384 crore, achieved in the previous financial year (2009-10) by over 32 per cent, even as he announced that the department would start e-filing of returns from July 1.
Stating that he has directed his officials to find out the reasons for the shortfall and failure of the department to achieve the target set by the government, he went on to add that each ward head and others would have to meet the targets within three months failing which they would be shifted from their post.
He also said that each ward has been given of target collecting the tax revenue and its officials told to focus on collecting value-added tax and non-petroleum revenue, adding that this sector required tightening of loopholes. He also said that  collection would be divided appropriately among the ward staff and responsibility of failing to meet the target would be fixed individually and collectively and appropriate action  taken.
Mr Jaques further said that he has also told his officials to identify the defaulters and take appropriate measures to recover the dues to the government from them adding that officials have also been told to bring maximum number of dealers under the ambit of commercial taxes.
The new commissioner of commercial tax department further said the additional commissioner of commercial tax would head the enforcement wing and that it would be constituted soon and appropriate accountability fixed.
He further said the Vasco ward office has been given the task of collecting the highest revenue to the tune of Rs 634 crore (including petroleum revenue), followed by Panaji ward whose target has been fixed at Rs 553 crore. The target for the Margao ward is Rs 310 crore while that of Mapusa is Rs 164 crore.
In the case of Ponda ward the target is Rs 82.5 crore and that of Bicholim is Rs 28.05 crore. The targets for commercial tax office at Panaji headquarters is Rs 30 crore while that of CTO (enforcement) Margao is Rs 15 crore. The revenue collection target fixed for Curchorem ward office is little over Rs 6 crore, he said.
Expressing confidence at achieving the target, he said that in the first month (April) of this financial year his department was able to collect Rs 157 crore as against Rs 121 crore collected during the same period in the previous year. He went on to add that the collection till May 20 this year has been Rs 90 crore and that the figure was likely to touch Rs 125 crore by the end of the month as against the total collection of Rs 104 crore during the month of May in the previous financial year.
Mr Jacques said the department fell short by Rs 63.5 crore in achieving the target of Rs 1,447 crore set by the government. He said that VAT/CST revenue collected by the department was Rs 1,129 crore while the target was Rs 1257, a fall of Rs 128 crore. He said the shortfall in the total collection was made up on other heads like entry tax where in the collection was Rs 149 crore as against a target of Rs 100 crore.
He also said that entertainment tax collection of Rs 30 crore was double the target of Rs 15 crore set by the government while the luxury tax collection of Rs 78 crore was marginally higher by Rs 3 crore against the target of Rs 75 crore.
Mr Jacques further said that test run of the VATSOFT, the software developed by National Informatics Centre, was in final stages and that e-filing and electronic acceptance of various data and information through forms would be made operational soon.