Rs 10, 605 crore revenue locked in court cases

Bhubaneswar, 18/11:  When Odisha  badly needs funds for its development, arrear tax revenue amounting to more than Rs 10, 604 crore has been locked in court cases. This was informed by Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari in a reply to a question asked by BJD member Prasanta Behera in the state assembly on Monday. Finance Minister said that the government was unable to collect at least Rs 10,604.91 c crore due to court stay orders. He furnished a list of companies on which revenue to the tune of more than Rs 1 crore in respect  of water tax, electricity dues and  mining revenue is pending due to court litigation. Similarly, he appended a list of 81 companies against whom a revenue of Rs 6009.91 crore is outstanding due to stay order granted by various courts. According to the list, industrial water tax to the tune of Rs 675.59 crore is outstanding against nine companies, who owe more than Rs 1 crore to the government on this account. The public sector Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) tops the list ( Rs 331.48 crore) in terms of industrial water tax arrear pending due to court litigation, followed by the Indian Railsways (Rs 290.75 crore). Similarly, electricity dues of Rs 2063.26 crore is pending against 32 companies, whose outstanding arrear is more than Rs 1 crore each. Indian Metal and Ferro Alloys Ltd (IMFA) has the highest arrear of Rs 504.08 crore, followed by Rourkela Steel Plant (Rs 376.08 crore). Mining revenue to the tune of Rs 1856.14 crore had remained pending against six mining majors, who have taken court shelter and who have arrear to the tune of more than Rs 1 crore each. Court cases involving non-recovery of mining revenue of highest Rs 1334.48 crore, followed by Tata Iron and Steel  Company Limited (334.90 crofre) are pending in various courts. A gigantic Rs 6009.92 crore revenue has been pending against as many as 81 companies who have more than Rs 10 crore arear each due to court stay orders. The highest arrear of Rs 885.97 crore is outstanding against Steel Authority India, Rourkela  Steel Plant.