KARACHI: Provincial Minister of Excise and Taxation Gyan Chand Esrani has said that all employees of excise department should follow their attendance timings otherwise strict disciplinary action will be taken against them.
During an exclusive interview with Customs Today, Gyan Chand Esrani said that he was receiving lot of complaints regarding timing issue of the staff in the department. Due to their late arrivals and early departures applicants were facing difficulties.
Replying to a question he said we are considering appointing fresh staff on the vacant posts to meet the shortage of staff issue. He said that transparent process will be adopted for appointment of employees in different departments of Sindh government. He said that at least 1600 people will be appointed in excise department. The procedure of appointment will start from next month.
He said that we have directed the officials of excise department to start three days motor vehicle tax awareness campaign in order to increase tax collection which will help in improving national economy. He said that the special teams of the department are instructed to start snap checking and seize vehicles bearing applied for registration (AFR) number plates.
Responding to a question he said that imposition of withholding tax has affected the transfer of vehicles. He said that before withholding tax there was 80 percent of vehicle transferred but now it decreases to 20 percent. This shows 60 percent decrease in transfer of vehicles after imposing of withholding tax.
Provincial Minister of Excise and Taxation said that there are many sources to increase the property tax and we are considering to computerize the process of estimating and collecting property tax. He said that officials of excise department are directed to start property survey and seal the properties of tax defaulters.
He said that during the ongoing survey, the department has collected Rs 20 million property taxes from the defaulters in district West, Rs 6.052 million from central district and Rs 4.6 million from district East.