PANAJI: A tax on "professions, trades, callings and employments" is just one of many tax proposals announced by chief minister Digambar Kamat in his additional budget speech to the legislative assembly on Friday.

A hike in the entry fee on casinos, entry toll on vehicles entering Goa, land replenishment cum green environment charge, ground water extraction charge, library cess and infrastructure tax are some of the other tax proposals announced by Kamat "in order to enhance the revenue base of the government".

The government proposes to introduce an Act to provide for the levy and collection of a tax on professions, trades, callings and employments. The state is expected to collect about Rs 65 crore per year from the above proposed tax in the first year.

The proposed tax shall have five slabs based on monthly incomes - income below Rs 10,000, no tax; Rs 10,001 to Rs 12,500, Rs 150; Rs 12,501 to Rs 15,000, Rs 200; Rs 15,001 to Rs 20,000, Rs 250; Rs 20,001 to Rs 25,000, Rs 300 and Rs 25,001 and above, Rs 350 tax per month.

For the purpose of administration, all professionals such as doctors, lawyers, consultants, architects, hoteliers, vehicle dealers, builders, civil engineers, chartered accountants, brokers, sub-brokers and all such other professionals will be required to registered themselves with the government. A one-time registration charge of Rs 5000 will be charged to the professionals.

The government also hopes to get a revenue of Rs 36.50 crore annually from the increased entry fee to casinos in Goa. "My government in an effort to discourage the youth from entering the casinos, proposes to enhance the entry fee for all casinos from its present Rs 200 per person to Rs 2000 per person," Kamat said. When asked how he would ensure compliance, Kamat said the government is coming out with regulations and might even put up a team to conduct surveys on the field.

The government also proposes to introduce an entry toll on vehicles, except two-wheelers, to be levied on vehicles entering Goa. Light motor vehicles (personal use) will be charged Rs 100 per entry, light motor vehicles (taxi) will be charged Rs 150 per entry, mini trucks and mini buses will be charged Rs 150 per entry and heavy vehicles including buses will be charged Rs 250 per entry. The government hopes to collect a revenue of about Rs 20 crore per year from this entry tax that could help in the repairs and maintenance of roads in Goa, Kamat said.

Times of India 23.07.2009

PUNE: Property tax defaulters in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) areas coughed up Rs 1.33 crore after the corporation's property tax department sent seizure notices to 109 defaulters.

Speaking to TOI, Shahaji Pawar, assistant commissioner, PCMC said that the 109 property tax defaulters owed Rs 2.16 crore as dues.

"The property tax department has intensified its drive to recover the dues from defaulters. Seizure notices are being issued to defaulters who owed large sums. Each divisional office was given the target to send 15 seizure notices to recover the dues. The defaulters have partly paid their dues after receiving the notices. If they do not clear their dues, their properties will be auctioned to recover the balance."

He said that property tax bills are being sent to the property holders for 2009-10. The department has collected Rs 10.36 crore as property tax till now, while it had collected Rs 6.56 crore till end of June in 2008-09.

The property tax department has announced a special scheme of Free Singapore trip' to 15 property tax-payers who have cleared their property tax dues and also paid the tax for the current year. as per the scheme, two members of the taxpayer's family or his two nominees will get a free trip to Singapore.

Pawar said, "Property tax bills for 2009-10 are being sent to the taxpayers. There are a total of 2.71 lakh properties in the municipal limits and we have still to distribute around 60,000 bills. Property taxpayers have to pay their pending dues if any and this year's tax before August 30 to be eligible for the Singapore trip."

He added that a list of such eligible taxpayers will be compiled after August 31. "We will select 15 property holders through a lottery system for the Singapore trip," he stated.

The property tax department has collected a record tax revenue of Rs 88.88 crore in 2008-09. Pawar said, "The department hopes to collect property tax of around Rs 30 crore till the end of August this year. We will start a drive to create awareness among the people to pay tax on time. The department will use loudspeakers mounted on vehicles to make an appeal to the people to pay tax on time and be eligible for the Singapore trip."