Excise targets may fall short

NEW DELHI, Dec 23: The Union finance ministry has estimated a shortfall of rS 1,800 crore in the central excise collection target of Rs 52,...

NEW DELHI, Dec 23: The Union finance ministry has estimated a shortfall of rS 1,800 crore in the central excise collection target of Rs 52,200 crore for the current fiscal.

While the revenue realisation has been 12 per cent short of the target of Rs 27,689 crore in the first seven (April-October) months, the government is banking on an upward trend in excise collections in the later months. Earlier, the estimates of shortfall had varied from Rs 3,500 crore to Rs 6,000 crore.

Ministry sources said the excise earnings in November were about Rs 4,300 crore as against a monthly average of Rs 3,500 crore in the past seven months. The trend is expected to continue as past experience shows that revenue collections in the second half of the fiscal are higher. "We are trying to meet the year-end target of Rs 52,200 crore but the current trend indicates a shortfall of Rs 1,800 crore. It would only be slightly off the target, reflecting the slowdown of the economy," they pointed out.

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While the government is optimistic about improving its collections, a lot will depend on the success of its drive to expedite the process clearing disputes pending with the Customs, Excise and Gold Appellate Tribunal (CEGAT), recovery of arrears to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore from defaulters and adjudication of excise evasion cases. Nearly Rs 7,000 crore are locked up in adjudication proceedings and disputes pending before quasi-judicial authorities.

Already, the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has adjudicated 58 per cent of the 60,000 cases until November 30 the deadline was extended by the one month to December 31. It hopes to cover another 30 per cent in December. While CEGAT has responded favourably to the government’s request for expediting the process of clearing disputes, the proceedings in quite a few cases are expected to take 6-8 months. The ministry has directed all the excise commissionerates to bring arrears from defaulters to "zero" by the end of January — they have been given the powers to attach and auction movable and immovable properties of defaulters to recover dues. "A lot will depend on the success of our efforts to get funds locked up in cases. If we flounder, the shortfall will shoot-up," said a CBEC official.