Thrust is on more revenue collection without imposing additional burden of tax: Ajanta Neog

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Finance Minister Ajanta Neog said that state finance is in the right direction. The first Cabinet meeting of this government set the direction for the sound financial health of the state.

"The expectations of the people of the state on the new government are high. We need stable financial management to live up to their expectations. However, we need time to meet their aspirations," she informed the State Assembly while replying to a cut motion on supplementary demands on Wednesday.

She said, "Our thrust is on more revenue collection from own sources without imposing any additional burden of tax on the people. It is our motto. For example, we have brought changes in the collection of forest royalty. It will ensure a ten-fold increase in forest revenue collection. We have amended stamp and registration duties. It will also add to our revenue.

"Despite Covid-19, our GST growth is 40 per cent, and that of non-GST is 26 per cent. The State government invested Rs 1,800 crore in NRL as a stake. We will get a regular return from this investment. "A state develops as much as the budgetary allocations it can spend. We have set the target of spending around 80 per cent of the total budgetary allocations. The previous governments spent around 60 per cent of their budgetary allocations.

"We are making the financial management of the state clean and transparent. We are trying to augment revenue collection by plugging all loopholes."

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