Kolkata, June 25: West Bengal’s Finance Minister, Swapan Dasgupta, announced that the BJP-led state government will focus on eliminating corruption from the tax collection system to enhance the state’s tax revenue.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari revealed a significant increase in earnings from stone quarries in Birbhum district, occurring within less than two months of the new BJP government’s tenure. Previously, there were substantial discrepancies in tax collection in this sector, with only one out of eight trucks transporting stones being taxed.
In a special interview, Dasgupta stated, “We are now trying to identify the shortcomings that lead to losses in tax collection, aiming to increase the state’s tax revenue without burdening the common people.”
Claiming that a new industrial policy will soon be implemented, Dasgupta mentioned that major changes would be made to the state’s existing land policies to promote both industrial and infrastructure development.
The Finance Minister added, “We have already decided to review the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act of 1976 to improve land availability for projects. I believe this outdated law, a remnant of the old socialist era, should be abolished. There are lands that are currently unused, which were previously allocated for industries. Why are we constructing shopping malls on these industrial lands? It is better to utilize them for industrial development.”
Dasgupta also emphasized that the state’s goal is to reduce reliance on state excise for tax revenue collection while managing the heavy debt burden inherited by the new government.
According to the West Bengal Finance Minister, the new government aims to work more collaboratively with the central government to develop the state’s economy. The previous Trinamool Congress government often clashed with the center, which is not a good policy in a democratic federal system. Over the last 15 years, the state government ignored several central projects, depriving the people of West Bengal of the benefits of these schemes.
He asserted that the new government will rapidly advance the state’s economy, striving to create a fast-growing market-based economy. Currently, there is no alternative. We will allow shops and businesses to operate around the clock. This will increase revenue collection and create job opportunities. Consequently, Kolkata will transform into a completely different city.
Leave a Comment