Meghalaya cabinet approves excise amendment rules

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 14, 2019

SHILLONG: The state Cabinet has approved the Meghalaya Excise Amendment Rules, 2019 to ensure that the revenue generation of the state goes up by Rs 250 crore within this financial year.

After the meeting held here on Thursday, chief minister Conrad K Sangma told reporters that Rule 3 and Sub rule 2 were changed where bonded warehouses earlier did not pay the excise duty and colonnade fees while they were purchasing.

“What we have done is that we have amended the rules and made it mandatory for the bonds now to give prepaid the excise duty which means the bonds will now pay the excise duty while they purchase from the companies,” he said.

Stating that the present revenue generation is Rs 227 crore, the CM said, “The target for this year is Rs 250 crore and able to see another 15 to 16 per cent additional income by this year. I am hopeful that by next financial year when the entire things are streamlined, we will see more increase in revenue. In terms of rupees, atleast Rs 40 to Rs 50 crores additional revenue we are looking at.”

He further informed that the government has also included simple fees which will be given by the retail shops while they take from the bond because earlier they used to register and take the ad valorem, and then take the challans.

“We have included a mechanism called ‘retail lifting fee’ which is Rs 2 per case but it is meant to have on records challans while the retail shops are buying from the bonds. This will lead to approximately Rs 60-70 lakh of additional revenue,” he said.

The chief minister also said that the government has decided to put fees on liquor brought in by military and paramilitary units.

“Earlier they used to lift from Narengi in Assam even now, but the excise department did not charge any fee from them. It has been decided that 40 per cent ad valorem will be levied as well as import fees which is 40 per cent of the fees that others pay will be also paid by them. Therefore it is still concessional but it will lead to some revenue for the state about Rs one and a half crore,” he said.