Sudam Babu |State Bureau Chief Odisha

Boudh, November 11: District Collector Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak has called upon all revenue-generating departments in Boudh to intensify collection efforts, prevent revenue leakages and take stringent action against illegal activities affecting government revenue.

The directive came during a district-level revenue review meeting held at the Sadbhavana Conference Hall in Boudh on Tuesday. The meeting, chaired by the Collector, assessed the revenue performance of various departments, reviewed progress against annual collection targets and examined ongoing revenue-related activities.

At the beginning of the meeting, Additional District Collector Biranchi Narayan Darwan welcomed the participants and outlined the importance of the review in ensuring effective revenue mobilisation and administrative accountability.

Departmental reports presented during the meeting revealed that stamp duty and registration fees contributed Rs 5.51 crore to the district’s revenue up to October 2026 in the current financial year. The Regional Transport Office (RTO) recorded collections of Rs 8.18 crore, while the Excise Department generated Rs 21.90 crore, achieving nearly 48 per cent of its annual target.

Similarly, the Mining Department collected Rs 33.67 lakh, and the Tahasildars collectively deposited Rs 14.57 crore. The Forest Department extended financial assistance amounting to Rs 9.43 lakh to affected individuals. The meeting also reviewed agricultural registration, with 38,669 farmers having enrolled on the AgriStack portal across the district.

Expressing concern over departments lagging behind their prescribed revenue targets, Collector Nayak instructed the officials concerned to formulate practical action plans and intensify collection activities. He said that improving revenue performance required more than simply meeting annual targets, emphasising the need to identify and prevent revenue losses at every level.

The Collector also stressed stronger interdepartmental coordination and frequent field inspections to check illegal mining, unauthorised transportation of minerals, illicit excise-related activities and other violations resulting in losses to the government exchequer. He directed officials to ensure strict implementation of enforcement measures and take appropriate action against those involved in such practices.

On other administrative matters, Additional District Collector Darwan highlighted the need for effective implementation of the Basundhara scheme and faster resolution of long-pending public grievances related to revenue matters. He also urged officials to ensure that government files were processed without unnecessary delays through the Odisha Secretariat Workflow Automation System (OSWAS).

Among those present were APD Jadumani Nayak, Deputy Collector (Revenue) Shubhendu Kumar Jena, Tahasildars Karna Suna, Rajai Rasul and Jyoti Ranjan Bhue, along with the Regional Transport Officer, Excise Superintendent and representatives of various revenue-generating departments.

Officials shared their respective departmental performance reports, covering revenue receipts, progress towards annual targets and the status of ongoing initiatives.

The meeting ended with the Collector urging all departments to work collectively towards improving revenue mobilisation, strengthening monitoring mechanisms and ensuring transparent, timely and accountable delivery of government services.