Mamata's government revamp excise department to earn more revenue

KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee's cabinet has given a green signal to the state finance and excise minister Amit Mitra to revamp the state excise department for generating more revenue.

The state cabinet met on Saturday and the chief minister has given her nod to Mitra's proposal for reorganising the excise department.

After the cabinet meeting, Mitra told reporters that the state excise department was reorganised for the last time in 1966.

"In 2011-12, the excise department had earned a revenue worth Rs 2100 crore. There are enough scope for earning more revenue and for the purpose, we have reorganised the entire excise department.

The chief minister has given her clearance to our proposal for revamp of the entire department. There were 21 excise districts in the state which has been increased to 24.

There will be 87 excise ranges against the existing 65. Similarly we have decided to increase the excise circles to 215 from the existing 159. To revamp the entire excise department, we will require Rs 2.70 crore," Mitra said on Saturday.

According to Mitra, revamping of the excise department will fetch an extra earning of Rs 200 to Rs 300 crore every year. He also said that registration and stamp duty establishments will also be reorganised.

"Such offices were reorganised for the last time in 1993. "Files are piling up in registration offices and we require urgently to clear all these files and for the purpose, we are planning to set up more offices to help the common people and earn more revenue," said Mitra.