Transport minister urges focus on boosting revenue collection

Kolkata: Highlighting the substantial increase in revenue collection since the 2010-2011 fiscal year, State Transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty has urged motor vehicle inspectors to focus on further boosting the department’s revenue collection efforts.

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Motor Vehicles Enforcement Officers’ Association at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in Newtown on Sunday, Chakraborty emphasised the impressive growth in revenue since the 2010-2011 fiscal. Tax revenue, which was Rs 936 crore in 2010-11, grew to Rs 2,600 crore by 2022, with an average annual increase of Rs 100-150 crore. However, in the past two years, the growth rate accelerated significantly, with revenues reaching Rs 4,100 crore. The current fiscal is projected to close at Rs 4,800 crore.

“The jump from an average annual growth of Rs 150 crore to Rs 750 crore is a clear indication of our progress in improving tax compliance,” Chakraborty said. Principal Secretary of the Transport department, Saumitra Mohan, added that the department had already collected approximately Rs 3,000 crore this fiscal year and expressed confidence that the remaining target would be achieved by the end of the last quarter.

Despite offering nearly 150 online services, many of which are faceless, citizens continue to report delays and issues in accessing timely services. Chakraborty acknowledged these concerns, stating: “We must focus on resolving these issues to ensure smoother service delivery.”

Additionally, the association launched four decorated tableaus to promote the ‘Safe Drive, Save Life’ campaign. Flagged off by the minister and other senior officials, the tableaus will travel across all 23 districts of the state, from Darjeeling to Sagar Mela in the south, and from Purulia to Taki in the north.