Title - Railways should make strict rules to avoid tax evasion: DC

Amritsar : Yuvinder Singh Matta, Deputy Commissioner, Excise and Taxation Department, alleged that non-compliance of norms while filling the forms for transporting goods through rail made it difficult for the department to nab the VAT evasion.He said despite repeated intimations, requests and even judicial injunctions the railway here was not implementing the rule. He said this was causing revenue loss to the state.In a recent instance, he said 66 bales of dry fruit, utensils, plastic goods and others worth over Rs 15 lakh were seized from the Paschim Express on September 30. He said the department could not locate the tax violator as the form was incomplete and neither any specific information regarding consigner and consignee was provided.He said the railway authorities annually hand over the break vans to transport the goods to individuals who give maximum bid through tenders. These individuals are called lease agents. He said as per the 13.5 clause in the agreement between the railways and lease agents ‘”the leaseholder shall obtain clear and complete address of the consignor and consignee with their sales tax registration number/TIN in case the consignments are meant for sale. The leaseholder shall mention the same on manifesto.”Also, clause 23.1 of the agreement stated that, “The railway administration shall have the right to terminate the operation of lease contract/agreement for any reason whatsoever after serving one month’s notice to the leaseholder. Railway shall also reserve the right to terminate the contract without giving any notice at any time for whatsoever reason as a punitive measure or breach of agreement by the leaseholder or in case of operational exigencies or it is necessary to do so in public interest.”He urged the railways to strictly implement the rules to assist in nabbing the tax evasion.