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Factories-excise department link likely

A computer link between factories and revenue authorities will be built soon so that a precise picture of production statistics and major transactions of assessees can be gained.

Revenue collection experts say one reason for the high rate of tax compliance in developed countries is because technology enables online registration of assessees' major transactions automatically into computers monitored by authorities.

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A committee constituted recently by the central government to rationalise excise duty structure is toying with the prospect of establishing a computer-link between corporations and the excise department that will furnish data pertaining to production, clearance, value, duty payments and MODVAT invoice on a daily basis.

The committee is being chaired by Gopinath Sarangi, chief commissioner, central excise, Bombay.

It comprises Tarun Roy, economic advisor; H R Ghera, general manager, Greaves Limited; K K P Nair, secretary, FICCI; A S Kasliwal, chairman, S Kumar Enterprises; S K Bhardwaj, commissioner, central excise, Vadodara; S K Sawhney, deputy commissioner, central excise.

The committee has drawn up a questionnaire to draw out opinions on tariff, MODVAT, procedures, budget formulations and tax administration.

It will seek the opinion of the business community and experts on tariff matters on issues like adjudication, mode of investigation by the department on matters like clearance, valuation, market pricing of exciseable goods, search and seizures, role of auditors who analyse the records of production and clearances.

The questionnaire also seeks opinion on issues like impact of excise duty on setting up of projects, role of duty in industrial growth, incidence of excise duty on gross domestic production, relationship between growth of industry and tax reforms in 1992-93, rate of duty and tax compliance.

Opinion has also been sought from the business community and experts on issues like feasibility of having only three tariff rates, the image of the central excise department with the industry, the change, if any, in the mindset of department officers etc.

- Compiled from the Indian media

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