Opening of ST Check Post at rly stations can only check tax evasion

Ferozepeur, February 11, 2013: There is tax evading of lakhs of rupees by illegal transporting of the goods without booking in alleged connivance with the railway officials and this practice is going on since long. 

No doubt, the raids by Excise and Taxation Department are a regular feature but no permanent solution to this menace has so far been worked out and it is affecting on goods booking business of the railways. 

Its impact could gauged from the fact that the Parcel Office of the Railway has come down from Grade A to Grade C and it is still not being taken as seriously.  However, with four Small Luggage Rake (SLR) have been closed due to expiry of lease term and there are only two SLR in Punjab Mail and three in Janta Express.

As per the sources, the main reason for decline in business of the Railways and government revenue on account tax evading, is giving the SLR on contract basis as most of the goods transported are without bill or the one bill is used number of times. 

Another reason is of not having any Sales Tax Check Post at Ferozepur railway station like that at other big stations of Jalandhar and Amritsar. 

Despite number of requests from Excise Department, no check post has so far been set up with the reasons best known to the Railways and Excise Department and in such state of affairs, the connivance of both the departmental officials cannot be ruled out and all this is happening with under the shadow of railway office in Delhi as there is no check facility at the railway station and businessmen are taking advantage of the same. 

So far the raids have been conducted by the mobile wing of Excise Department only and the local officials of the Railways are not taking it seriously.  Senior Commercial Divisional Officer Ram Parshad has admitted all these irregularities going on but the only excuse given is shortage of staff but not allowing the opening of Sales Tax Check Post has put a big question mark on the working and style of the Railways.

One of the serious railway official on anonymity said, the only solution to check the tax evasion is the liaison between railways and excise department and opening of Sales Tax Check Post at the railway stations.