Focus on increasing state revenues: CM Jagan

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Jagan Reddy held a review meeting on revenue earning departments at the camp office here and directed the officials to focus on increasing the revenue in the Stamps and Registrations, Excise, Commercial Taxes, Transport and Mining departments.

The CM said registrations services started in 51 Village/Ward Secretariats. Arrangements were made in 650 Village/Ward Secretariats to start registration services. On October 2, the services will be started in another 2,000 Village/Ward Secretariats.

In a review related to revenue-earning departments including Excise, Revenue, Municipal Administration, Mines, and Forest Department, the CM directed the officials to ensure transparency, accountability and efficiency in tax collection without leaving any scope for legal disputes. He stressed the need for resolving the complaints and objections raised by the taxpayers on a priority basis in order to have a smooth flow of taxes.

He advised the officials to use state-of-the-art technology to restrict tax evasion and check the use of fake bills. Officials informed the CM that the Data Analytics Center is being strengthened.

The CM said that strict measures should be adopted to prevent corruption in Sub-Registrar offices and told them to focus more on the government offices where there is a possibility of corruption, along with the sub-registrar's office, MRO, MDO, RDO, and Collector's offices.

He called for display of the toll-free number of ACB 14400 prominently in every government office and hospital.

Asserting that corruption can be eradicated only through strong measures, the chief minister asked the top officials to keep the action-taken reports on the calls being attended through the toll-free number.

Jagan asked the officials to display the list of services available in the registration offices at the village secretariats along with a list of the benefits of the registration services to enable the people come forward and avail the services.

Officials informed the CM that registrations are being done in secretariats of 51 villages so far, while arrangements are being made to extend these services to another 650 villages. “We are moving ahead to start them in all 2000 village /ward secretariats by October 2, 2022.”

Officials said the permissions for the Red Sander auction will be obtained from the Centre soon. The chief minister told them to act carefully in securing the stock currently under the control of the forest department, verify the stocks every month and update the details.

Reviewing the Excise, Jagan directed the officials to prevent the manufacture and supply of illicit liquor. He said that women police played a vital role in curbing illegal liquor sales in villages and asked the authorities to frame an SOP based on the role of the women police in village secretariats.

The CM also reviewed the auction of Agrigold assets and directed the authorities to resolve the disputes at the earliest. As promised, the government had paid Rs 905.57 crore to Agrigold victims.

Ministers Narayanaswamy, Ramachandra Reddy, Prasada Rao and Adimulapu Suresh, chief secretary Sameer Sharma, forest environment special CS Nirab Prasad, municipal administration special CS Srilakshmi, revenue special CS Rajat Bhargava and other officials participated in the review meetings.