Bhubaneswar: Additional stamp duty and registration charges worth at least Rs 1,000 crore is yet to be recovered from different mining lessee.
Each mining lessee, whose production limit is enhanced either in the mining plan or in the environmental clearance certificate is liable to pay additional stamp duty for such additional/enhanced amount of production. Such additional stamp duty is payable by the lessee concerned on the instrument of such enhancement of production limit.
In the interest of Government revenue, Director of Mines, Odisha wrote to Steel & Mines Department on 03-11-2020 providing the details of enhanced production limit lessee-wise along with all relevant information. On 04-11-2020, Steel & Mines Department wrote to Revenue & D.M. Department forwarding the afore-mentioned information with a request to issue necessary direction to all concerned to immediately raise the demand and realize the additional stamp duty which is very critical revenue for the State Government in these times of COVID-19 pandemic. It was also informed in the said letter that Director of Mines has directed all Deputy Directors / Joint Directors to submit the details of enhanced production limit lessee-wise along with all relevant information to the District Sub-Registrars for raising and realizing this demand. On 20-11-2020, Steel & Mines Department further wrote to Revenue & D.M. Department informing about the enhancement of production as per approved mining plan / scheme in respect of Nuagaon iron ore block of M/s JSW Steel Limited.
The list of lessees who are to pay additional stamp duty and registration charges on account of enhancement of production limit, as prepared by Directorate of Mines includes more than 55 companies such as OMC Keonjhar Gandhamardan, JSW Koida, Nayanposhi iron ore and manganese mines, Jajpur IMFA’s Sukinda chromite mines, Balasore Alloys Kaliapani chromite and IMFA’s Mahagiri chromite mines. The others are Tata Steel’s Kamarda, IDCOL’s Telengi, OMC Daitari, FACOR’s Kalaragita chromite, Tata Steel’s Saruabil, Utkal Alumina’s Bapimali Bauxite, Kunal Kishore Das’ Anajodi Mangenese mines.
Other notable companies which have lifted mineral resources beyond their limit and have not deposited additional stamp duties and taxes are Shivanand Pradhan’s Birida graphite mines, OMC’s Kodingamali Bauxite mines, IDC’s Ambavalley, Indrani Patnaik’s Uchabali iron ore, KC Pradhan’s Nayagarh iron ore, Parhsurampur Decorative Stone, Bendalia Decorative Stone and Khambari gaon Decorative stone.
On 15-12-2020, Revenue & D.M. Department wrote to Inspector General of Registration, Cuttack along with copies to all District Registrars / District Sub-Registrars / Sub- Registrars to issue necessary instructions to all Registering officers to immediately raise demand and realize the additional stamp duty for the enhanced production limit. The details provided by Steel & Mines Department were also enclosed along with the letter.
Despite the directives of State Government, the appropriate agency has not yet embarked upon collection of the additional stamp duty and registration charges. Inspite of elapsing of more than one & a half months since issue of such directive by Revenue & D.M. Department, the office of Inspector General of Registration (IGR), Cuttack is yet to take any step for raising the demand and realizing the additional stamp duty for the enhanced production limit by different mining lessees. The urgency to collect the said amounts in view of COVID-19 pandemic has been stressed in the letter. The amount is expected to yield revenue of around Rs. 1,000 crore to the State. There is however no progress in realizing the additional stamp duty by Inspector General of Registration (IGR) and its subordinate District level offices. The public exchequer has already lost interest money for such delayed time frame.
The concerned officials, however, did not prefer to answer any question relating to the matter, it is alleged.
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