The Central excise and service tax collection in Kolkata zone has risen by 26 and 35 per cent, respectively, in the first six months of this fiscal. The Kolkata zone includes West Bengal, Sikkim and the Andamans.
“Our zone tax collection in the first half year (in the April-September, 2011) period has jumped sharply and is higher than the national growth,” Chief Commissioner of Kolkata Zone (excise & service tax), Mr M.S Badan said.
In the April-September period, excise collection was at Rs 3,594 crore, up by 26 per cent over the corresponding period last year.
The service tax collection rose by Rs 1,548 crore, which is 35 per cent higher than the collection in the corresponding period last year.
Annual target
Mr Badan said he was confident that the annual target for excise of Rs 7,645 crore and Rs 3,740 crore in service tax will be achieved despite apprehensions of some slowdown after industrial production registered lower growth.
Mr Badan, who will take over as member in the Central Board of Excise and Customs, said he was focusing on ‘tools' to increase the collection.
“Audit and anti-evasion drives are tools to check the pilferage and we will go in for more such actions to check evasion of tax. This year, service tax is the major focus,” he said.
The Kolkata zone detected central excise and service tax evasion cases of Rs 182 crore during April-September in 2011, he said.