KARACHI, Oct 18: The revenue collection system in the province has collapsed after its devolution to the local government and a committee had been constituted to work out a proper and effective system as prescribed under the Land Revenue Act.

This was stated by Senior minister Syed Sardar Ahmad while responding to a question from Heer Ismail Soho during question hour in the Sindh assembly.

He said the committee would make recommendations for making the revenue collection effective through scrutiny as existed under the old system.

Mr Ahmad admitted that revenue department officials do not inspect agricultural land and the standing crop thereon and levy taxes in a whimsical manner. According to him, the present land revenue functionaries were incapable of carrying out assessment of cropped land and the system seems to have collapsed.

Syed Sardar Ahmad informed the house that owing to shortage of water, revenue collection targets could not be achieved, and, therefore, their estimated targets had been slashed by 50 per cent after six months.

Mr Ahmad, who was responding to questions on behalf of the chief minister informed the house that revenue taxes/ cess (i.e. Land Tax, Water Rate, Local Cess), would accordingly be assessed and charged only on cropped area as per law in force.

Heer Ismail Soho was informed that during the year 2004-05, a total of Rs 3745.991 million were collected as against target of Rs 4000 million on account of Stamp Duty as compared to Rs 3322.346 million collected against the target of Rs 3500 million during 2003-04.

On account of Registration Fee, he said Rs 637.516 million were collected as against the target of Rs 500 million during 2004-05 and Rs 529.213 million against target of Rs 500 million during 2003- 04.

Syed Sardar Ahmed also provided figures regarding budget estimate, revised budget estimate and demand in respect of land tax/agricultural income tax and water rate.

To a question from Humera Alwani, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim in his written reply informed the house that that up to April 2005, the Excise and Taxation Department collected Rs 2920.842 million as Sindh Development and Maintenance of Infrastructure Cess, Rs 1291.889 million as Motor Vehicle Tax, Rs 868.975 million as Excise Enactment, Rs 133.852 million as Professional, Calling, Trade and Employment Tax, Rs 36.694 million as Hotel Tax, Rs 137.026 million as Cotton Fee, Rs 996.451 million as Property Tax and Rs 32 million as Entertainment Duty.

He said the property tax had been devolved to respective towns/councils/talukas under SLGO 2001.

To a question by Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, the Chief Minister in his written reply informed that Rs 2.887 million were incurred on the preparation of Tax Token Stickers during fiscal 2004-05 at Rs 1.65 per sticker for printing of 1.750 million stickers.

He said the tenders were invited and M/s Technoman Furnishers supplied the item as being the lowest bidder. The house was also informed that Rs 5.680 million were spent on preparation of Registration Number Plates during the year 2004-05. It was stated that 80,000 number plates were supplied at Rs 71 being the cost of a pair. The contract was given to Mehran Electronics company, the lowest bidder.

No reply was provided to Mohammad Sajid Jokhio’s question through which he had asked for names and numbers of sanctioned and non-sanctioned villages in Karachi as on May 15, with their population and existing area of each village.