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Assam Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on Friday chaired a review meeting with officers of the Guwahati-based tax units at the Commissionerate of Taxes in Assam to assess revenue collection and strengthen the departments performance.
During the meeting, revised revenue targets were assigned to the concerned units, with an emphasis on improving collections and achieving results beyond the national average. Prior to the review meeting, the Minister interacted with Inspectors of Taxes who had completed a 50-day training programme. During the valedictory session, he presented certificates to the trainees and encouraged them to discharge their responsibilities with professionalism, integrity and a strong commitment to public service. Addressing the newly trained officers, Minister Baruah emphasised the importance of strengthening tax administration and improving revenue mobilisation. He urged them to strive for performance beyond the national average and contribute meaningfully to Assams economic progress. Highlighting Assams position as a consumer state, the Minister underscored the critical role of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the states revenue generation. He observed that enhancing the states own source revenue is essential for accelerating development and strengthening Assams financial self-reliance. He stressed that a stronger revenue base would enable Assam to emerge as a financially stronger and more self-reliant state, rather than depending disproportionately on external support. The Minister also called upon the officers to share valuable suggestions and practical feedback based on their field-level experiences. He emphasised that identifying operational challenges and incorporating constructive suggestions would help improve efficiency, accountability and the overall functioning of the tax administration. The review also focused on performance-based deployment of officers across various units and the need to ensure that responsibilities and targets are aligned with measurable outcomes. The Finance Minister further informed that the entire department would undergo a comprehensive reorganisation. He expressed confidence that the departmental mechanism would be streamlined before the commencement of the next financial year, with a view to improving operational efficiency, strengthening institutional capacity and enhancing revenue collection. The Minister reiterated that a more efficient, accountable and performance-oriented tax administration would be crucial to expanding Assams own source revenue and supporting the states long-term development priorities. (ANI)
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