HYDERABAD: The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) has reaped rich profits in the tender for collection of toll tax and Octroi tax for the year 2015-16.
In the tenders held recently, to assign contractors for toll tax and octroi tax collections recently, SCB got Rs 14.76 crore for toll and octroi collections, registering a whopping 35 percent growth in income over the previous year.
“While seven contractors bid for toll tax collections, the highest bidder quoted Rs 8.56 crore. Similarly, seven contractors vied for Octroi tax collections and the highest bidder quoted Rs 6.2 crore. Together we received a revenue of Rs 14.76 crore,” said SCB tax superintendent Syed Akbar Ali. In 2014-15 the tender of toll tax collection fetched Rs 7.49 crore while the highest bid for octroi was Rs 3.65 crore, together amounting to Rs 11.10 crore.
Compared to the previous year, toll and octroi taxes fetched an additional revenue of Rs 3.65 crore bringing relief to the cash starved SCB. The reason for the steep hike in toll and octroi tax income this year, is said to be the introduction of e-tender system. Due to online tender system, the chances of contractors maneuvering tenders quotations has been ruled out thus making contractors go for competitive bids without manipulation.
Toll tax is collected from the commercial vehicles passing through SCB limits, while octroi tax is collected on goods vehicles. Though there are complaints from some quarters over the practice of collecting Octroi and Toll Taxes in SCB, these taxes form a considerable part of SCB’s revenue, contributing about 20 to 25 percent of tax revenue.
SCB Toll and Octroi Tender
Total Revenue Rs 14.76 crore
Previous Years income Rs 11.10 crore Increase in Tender amount 35 percent E-tendering proves benefitial to SCB