Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 14: Complementing the Excise and Commercial Taxes Departments for showing excellent performance consecutively for the last four years, the Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather today said that the tax revenue was all set to touch a new high of Rs 5500 crore this fiscal, which is more than double of Rs. 2600 crore recorded in 2009.
Speaking at an interactive meeting of the senior officers and field staff of Commercial Taxes Department (CTD), Mr. Rather called for evolving more realistic and practical strategies to bring further reforms in the tax management system in the State- even amendment of the existing taxation laws if need arises.
Asking the officers to discharge their duties without any fear and favour to come up to the expeditions of both the Government as well as the people, Mr Rather assured that there will be zero interference in discharging their legitimate duties honestly. He also assured that the much needed re-organisation of the CTD was on cards to provide better safeguards to the service interests of the employees.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Commercial Taxes, Kifayat Rizvi, Additional Commissioner CTD of Kashmir and Jammu, Rafiq Ahmed and P.I. Khateef, DC (HQ) CTD, Showkat Aijaz, all Deputy Commissioners of CTD from both Jammu and Kashmir divisions of the State. It was the first of its kind meeting to have a direct feedback about the working of the department on ground from the field officers and to introspect about its short comings and to suggest new measures for bringing further efficiency in its functioning.
Mr. Rather announced that 100 percent computerization of the Commercial Taxes Department would be started from April 2013, adding that it will be a revolutionary initiative of the present Government towards making tax collection mechanism both traders as well as employees friendly and would help in further improving the performance of CTD, increase tax revenue and enforce much needed transparency in the overall taxation system.