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Find new income sources, says CM Jagan

Officials must examine the methods and policies being followed by other states to increase state’s own revenues, the CM said

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has stressed the need to raise the cash-strapped state’s revenues and asked officials to study the policies being followed by various states in this respect.

At a review meeting he held with officials of the revenue and related departments, the Chief Minister said the focus should be on recovering the arrears vis-à-vis the state’s own revenue and resolving pending VAT issues.

Officials must examine the methods and policies being followed by other states to increase SOR (state’s own revenues) and come up with new ideas for implementation here for this purpose. Officials of the concerned departments should hold meetings regularly to take such matters forward.

The Chief Minister said district Collectors should play an active role in generating revenue for the government. The officials should adhere to strict standard operations procedures (SOPs) while exercising their discretionary powers so as to maximize revenue earnings.

“Start the process with registrations in the village and ward secretariats and review such services in existing 51 village and ward secretariats. Make changes if required. Officials must prepare SOPs to ensure there is no corruption in village and ward Secretariats, unlike the sub-registrar offices that were beehives of corrupt practices and bribe-taking as also indulged in under-valuation of properties,” he said.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that the poor were benefited by Rs 400.55 crore in the form of free registrations through the OTS scheme and by another Rs 1,230 crore in the form of free registrations of Tidco houses. The poor have never benefited so much in the form of free registrations in the past, he stated.

Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue) Dharmana Krishnadas, Deputy Chief Minister (excise) Narayana Swamy, Panchayati raj, rural development; and mines minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, power, forest and environment minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, chief secretary Sameer Sharma and senior officials of the respective departments were present.

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