Hyderabad: Even after a year and half since Telangana was created as the 29th state in the country its Commercial Taxes department, one of the main revenue earning departments, is still plagued by problems. Checkposts, which act as the exit and entry points, present a sorry state of affairs. They are also seen working from under a tree or from makeshift arrangements like dhabas or huts.
With no proper mechanism like speed breakers and barricades in place to slow down vehicles, these check-posts are not serving the purpose they are meant for, to tax unaccounted goods coming into the state. In the undivided state, there were seven checkposts. A few more have been created within a few weeks after the formation of Telangana, at Aswaraopet and Paloncha (Khammam), Vadapally and Kodad (Nalgonda), Tunghabadra bridge (Mahabubnagar) that were bordering Andhra Pradesh state.
Due to lack of adequate staff, officials of different categories have been posted on deputation to work in three shifts. At the Tungabhadra check-post, staff was made to sit under a tree and inspect goods vehicles coming from Andhra Pradesh. Eighteen months on. these checkposts are yet to become full-fledged.
"During the run-up to the formation of the state, the Telangana Gazetted and Non-Gazetted officials submitted a report to overhaul the department. It included improving of existing checkposts and establishing new ones. However, it fell on deaf ears," rued a department official on the condition of anonymity.
Because of porous borders, smuggled and unaccounted goods are being easily brought into state denting public exchequer. Vehicle loads carrying household items, plywood, cement, tiles and steel and without proper documents could be stopped by authorities and levied taxes as per state law.
