Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (RS/CN)
Mangalore, Feb 25: “Corruption is everywhere. The reason for corruption is the desire for more. Desire makes man ill”, said Prof B M Hedge, former vice-chancellor, MAHE.
He was speaking after inaugurating ‘Central Excise Day-2009’ at T V Raman Pai Convention Hall on Tuesday February 24.
“In India, corruption is rooted in every field. Each section of society has become corrupt. The education system which makes children compete is the main source of corruption”, he said.
Prof Hegde said that bad politicians are a major contributor to corruption. He wished the excise commission all success and said that every one should pay tax without fail and help eradicate corruption. He also released the souvenir ‘Managalavani’.
R S Siddu, commissioner of customs, Shrinivas Pai, president Kanara Chamber of Commerce, Dakshina Kannada, Gujjadi Prabhakar Nayak, president ,chamber of commerce, Udupi, and entrepreneur Jayaraj Pai were present on the dais.
M Ajith Kumar, commissioner, Mangalore Commissionerate of Central Excise, presided over the function. K Keshavan, joint commissioner, welcomed all.
Speaking to media persons prior to the excise day celebrations Ajith Kumar said, “The tax offices are computerized, issue computer-generated invoices, and allow filing of returns electronically. Online payments or e-payments are also possible which has reduced considerably the interface between tax officers and tax payers”, he said.
The commissionerate covers the three districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada, which have collected excise duty of Rs 3897.20 crore and service tax of Rs 204. 83 crore, till January 2009.
Ajith Kumar said that there had been a fall in the collections of central excise due to decreased off take of diesel oil by MRPL, which was a major source of revenue.