KOZHIKODE: Even as the state is staring at a severe financial crisis, the excise department has failed to collect a whopping Rs 281.26 crore in abkari arrears. The one-time settlement scheme for the defaulters to clear their dues, announced in December last, is yet to materialise.
Interestingly, nearly 80% of the dues is interest as principal amounts have been pending for years, an excise officer told TNIE, on condition of anonymity. Of the total dues of `281.26 crore, `57.87 crore is principal amount and `223.38 crore interest, he said.
The department had issued strict instructions to all 14 deputy excise commissioners to speed up revenue recovery proceedings against defaulters, but the initiative too has failed, the officer said.A majority of the cases are old — reported five or more years ago. The major hindrance in initiating the revenue recovery process is that most of the cases are under courts’ consideration, the officer added.
Thiruvanathapuram district topped the list with arrears of `77.11 crore. The department charges an annual interest of 18% on the principal pending amount, the officer said. The department is planing to launch a fresh amnesty scheme to realise the arrears under which the defaulters will be able to settle their dues by remitting 75% of the total arrears, he added.