From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jul 29: The Goa government today assured to plug revenue leakage from iron ore traders who skipped paying value added tax (VAT) to the state commercial taxes department.

Chief Minister Digamber Kamat during question hour in the state legislative assembly session, this morning, said that all the firms trading in iron ore are covered in the tax net and their failure to pay VAT would be dealt with seriously.

Replying to a question tabled by BJP legislator Dayanand Sopte, the chief minister, who also holds mining portfolio, said total 191 iron ore dealers were registered with the commercial taxes department.

The figures tabled on the floor indicated that for the year 2008-09 Rs 19.14 crore were paid as VAT to the state government as against Rs 16.07 crore during 2007-08 financial year by these traders.

Kamat said that there is spurt in the number of traders after low grade iron ore in the state, attracted great demand in the international markets like China.

Leader of Opposition, Manohar Parrikar, relying on the figures provided on the floor of the house said that around six to seven iron ore traders were habitually avoiding paying VAT.

Responding to the questions, Kamat conceded that there were few traders who were difficult to locate in the state. “Some of them don’t even have the addresses. But we will see that tax is collected from every trader,” the chief minister said.

During the debate, Kamat also assured to look into the alleged irregularities committed by the mine owned by former congress legislator Jitendra Deshprabhu. The opposition benches had alleged Deshprabhu’s involvement in illegal mining.