Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has “lost revenue of Rs 864.45 crore” from minor mineral sources during the financial years 2015-16 to 2021-22, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said in its latest report.
In its audit report on collection of revenue from minor minerals, the CAG said the government failed to collect Rs 864.45 crore towards the District Mineral Fund (DMF) and Environment Management Fund (EMF) on royalty from minor minerals supplied by contractors and used in public projects without valid transit passes amounting to Rs 4,624.58 crore.
The authorities in charge of public projects deducted royalty amounting to Rs 4,624.58 crore from the bills of contractors or project executants due to the non-production of valid transit passes and purchase receipts in support of procurement from authorised sources.
A total of Rs 885.70 crore towards DMF and EMF on royalty was to be realised in the state during 2016-22. However, the authorities in charge of public projects in 14 districts had realised only Rs 21.25 crore against Rs 399.91 crore, the CAG said.
The authorities in charge of public projects in the remaining 16 districts had not collected any additional charge towards DMF and EMF. It was estimated that Rs 485.79 crore should have been collected on royalty deducted from the bills of contractors.
So, it had resulted in short/ non-collection of mineral revenue of Rs 864.45 crore, in the state, the CAG report said.
The CAG pulled up tahsildars for the loss of revenue. The tahsildars had neither obtained information on the quantities of different category-wise minor minerals supplied by contractors and used in public projects without valid transit passes, nor had they raised the demand for payment of additional charges (DMF and EMF) on royalty so deducted from their bills, along with the cost of minerals so used, the report said.
PTI
