Bhubaneswar: Beating economic wreck created by the unprecedented pandemic of Covid-19, the revenue generation of Odisha has grown by more than 20% in the financial year (FY) 2020-21 over the last fiscal year of 2019-20. The total revenue generation in 2020-21 has crossed of Rs. Rs.56, 363 cr in absolute figures.
This was known from a high level meeting held on digital mode under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra in Lokseba Bhawan today where in Principal Secretary Finance Ashok Kumar Meena placed the revenue performances of different departments for discussion.
While complementing the revenue earning departments for good performance, the Chief Secretary fixed the target of Rs.40,000 Cr from own tax revenue for the year 2021-22 which is around 15% more than the revenue generated in the FY 2020-21.
Similarly, Mahapatra set the revenue target of Rs.21,500 cr from non-tax sources for the year 2021-22. It may be pertinent here to mention that the budget estimate from non-tax and own-tax sources was fixed at Rs.20,000 cr and Rs. 37,500 cr respectively for the current FY. Mahapatra said, “There is need for more revenue generation to keep up the higher growth trajectories in the areas of social service, capital investment and higher outlay for programme expenditure.
Principal Secretary AK Meena appraised that following the 5-T principles in financial management, around 95% of the State’s revenue collection has been brought into electronic fold. At present around 95% of the State’s own revenue is being collected electronically. the Chief Secretary directed to achieve hundred percent electronic receipts of the taxes during the current FY. He said, “Electronic mode of collection will make it easy for tax payers, it will facilitate the process of monitoring and fault detection and will also lessen the burden of paper works.”
Further, the Chief Secretary directed the departments to focus on collection of arrear revenue from different sources. The departments were asked to explore all possibilities of the mutual and out of court settlement methods for collection of arrear industrial water rate and electricity dues. The departments were also asked to mop-up the parking of funds in the banks. The Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of the revenue earning departments, present in the meeting were advised to fix monthly targets for revenue generation, and, follow up those vigorously.
Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena, Additional Chief Secretary Home Sanjeev Chopra, Additional Chief Secretary Sri Raj Kumar Sharma, Principal Secretary Steel and Mines Surendra Kumar, Principal Secretary Revenue and Disaster Management Bishnupada Sethi, Principal Secretary Commerce and Transport Madhisudan Padhi, along with Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of different departments participated in the deliberations.
