PUNE, OCT 1: In a period of heavy recession which has affected major and ancillary industries in the twin township of Pimpri-Chinchwad, octroi - the major source of revenue for the municipal corporation - has registered a shortfall in the first six months of the financial year.Between April and September this year, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) earned octroi revenue of Rs 68.81 crore, a deficit of Rs 4.67 crore compared to the corresponding months last year.The collection figures indicate that the PCMC's projected target of octroi revenue of Rs 165.83 crore for the financial year 1998-99, may be difficult to reach. This would be the second consecutive year of octroi deficit for the PCMC.While octroi revenue in the first six months of last year was Rs 73.48 crore, by the end of the financial year (1997-98), the total octroi revenue collection was Rs 141.52 crore, as against the projected target of Rs 151.66 crore. The octroi revenue loss last year was stated to be Rs. 10.14crore.In the first four months during the current financial year, the octroi collection figures showed a constant deficit compared to the figures of the corresponding months last year. It was only in August and September that the collection figures showed an upward trend.In August last year and the current year, the collections were Rs 11.36 crore and Rs 13.06 crore respectively. As against a collection of Rs 10.77 crore in September 1997, the collection this month, until September 27, has been Rs 10.8 crore.Among the ten major industries which have their separate bank accounts with the municipal corporation for their octroi payments, only four companies showed increased payments between April and August this year.Automobile giant Tata Electric and Locomotive Company (TELCO) paid an octroi of Rs 19.88 crore this year as against Rs 28.8 crore last year. On the other hand, Bajaj Auto Limited paid Rs 4.2 crore this year as against Rs 3.13 crore last year.The octroi payments of other majorcompanies for the current year and last year (indicated in brackets) were: Mercedez Benz: Rs 37.56 lakh (Rs 90.24 lakh), Finolex Cables: Rs 39.66 lakh (Rs 43.61 lakh), Garware Wall Ropes: Rs 20.62 lakh (Rs 23.4 lakh), SKF: Rs 87.93 lakh (Rs 96.32 lakh), Bajaj Tempo: Rs 1.17 crore (Rs 1.27 crore), Sandvik Asia: Rs 65.77 lakh (Rs. 59.57 lakh), Finolex Industries: Rs 46.47 lakh (Rs 40.32 lakh) and KSB: Rs 45.63 lakh (Rs 37.37 lakh).Eight major octroi posts have been computerised and linked to the central office. The PCMC plans to computerise all 23 posts within the next two months.
