KARACHI, Dec 26: Sindh recorded a remarkable growth in revenue collection during the first five months (July-Nov) of the current fiscal year with infrastructure cess and motor vehicles tax witnessing a jump of 16 and 9 per cent respectively.

According to official figures, the excise department collected Rs7.089 billion or 16 per cent more towards infrastructure cess during July-Nov period over the corresponding period last year. There had been higher collection of Rs980.493 million.

Ever since the department shifted its collection to Weboc and partly on PRAL, which is being run under one customs, there is a consistent rise in infrastructure cess collection, stated D-G Excise Mohammad Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui here on Wednesday.

He further said that by March next year the entire infrastructure cess collection would be linked with Weboc and this would eliminate human interaction.

Motor vehicle tax also recorded a handsome rise at Rs1.208 billion or 9 per cent growth over the same period last year showing higher revenue collection by Rs100.409 million.

The DG said that under automation plans of revenue collection in the province, the department has already linked the four regional offices, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana and Mirpurkhas, with headquarter at Karachi through computers.

Under the second stage, all small districts of the province would be connected through computers with the headquarter for online payment of motor vehicle tax and it would also facilitate registration of motorcycles and tractors online.

The province managed to collect Rs886.023 million towards property tax during period under review and had shown a growth of 11 per cent over the same period last year on collecting Rs89.577million more revenue.

The Excise department is also computerizing collection of property tax in the province and after compiling the data, ‘challans’ would be issued, and the DG hoped it would help boost revenue collection manifold.

The province collected Rs987.487 million or 16 per cent higher revenue towards excise duty which stood higher by Rs142.269 million over the corresponding period last year.

The collection of professional and hotel tax, however, recorded nominal growth at Rs131.007 million and Rs57.75 million respectively.

The entertainment duty collection stood at Rs13.85 million or 10 per cent higher over the same period last year.

The cotton fee collection recorded a remarkable growth at Rs73.21 million or 44 per cent over last year when collection stood low at Rs22.41 million. The department is also quarterly carrying out physical checking of vehicles for the recovery of tax.