Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 9: Excise Commissioner, T. Angchuk today convened a meeting to review over-all growth scenario of the revenue receipts of the Excise Department for the year 2015-16.
It was informed that the total revenue realized by the Excise Department during the financial year 2015-16 has been recorded to the tune of Rs.1186.69 crore against a target of Rs 1185.10 crore. in comparison to the Rs 1007.99 crore against a target of Rs 1008.00 crore. realized during the financial year, 2014-15.
The Department recorded remarkable and highest ever growth of17.73%with 100.13% achievement. The total excise revenue realized by the department, during the financial year 2015-16 has been recorded to the tune of Rs. 531.39 crore against Rs 464.89 crore realized during the financial year, 2014-15. The targets fixed for realisation of excise revenue for the current fiscal has been achieved to the tune of109.56%.The total toll revenue realized by the department during the financial year 2015-16 has been recorded to the tune of Rs. 655.12 crore against Rs 542.87 crore realized during the financial year, 2014-15 while the total revenue realized by the distilleries wing, during the financial year 2015-16 has been recorded to the tune of Rs. 300.75 crore against a target of Rs 296.00 crore.
Excise Commissioner appreciated the comprehensive drive launched by the Excise Department under Eradication and Enforcement activity in Jammu division to arrest the menace of illegal smuggling of liquor, illicit distillation and other violations of the J&K Excise Act, 1958,. It was appreciated by the Excise Commissioner, Jammu that during the last fiscal, nakas were laid on various national highways to check the toll evasion and smuggling of illicit liquor. More than 93,935Kgs of lahan as against 33,746Kgs of previous year, meant for manufacturing illicit liquor, has also been destroyed in the entire Jammu Division by the excise sleuths who have conducted surprise raids in various areas to arrest the menace of illicit distillation.
At Toll Post Lakhanpur the excise sleuths had put extra efforts to arrest the smuggling and import/export of banned items. In the process, 463 toll evasion cases were detected during the fiscal 2015-16 as against 330 during the 2014-15.
Further during the fiscal 2015-16, 26,359 willow clefts as against 4,550 of previous year, 2403 Kg bukki, 780 bottles of drugs, 15,440 Kg polythene, 20,515 Kg herbs were confiscated by excise sleuths at Lakhanpur Toll Post.
In Kashmir valley massive action of Bhang destruction was started and completed by the Excise Department Kashmir during the fiscal 2015-16. In the process bhang on 7,949 kanals of land as against1, 440 kanals for the year 2014-15 and poppy on 83 kanals of land was destroyed. During the meeting, officers of the Excise Department, were directed to ensure strict vigil to improve revenue realization during the current fiscal and work hard to generate revenue for the State.