(a) whether the excise duty is leviable on coal raised and
despatched from the collieries in the country ;
(b) if so, the revenue collected from these mines during the last
three years;
(c) the number of coal mines working illegally in the country;
(d) whether any assessment has been made for the evasion of tax
by them; and
(e) if so, the action taken by the Government to recover tax
from them?
THE MINISTER OF COAL (SHRI N.T. SHANMUGAM)
(a): Excise duty is levied and collected by the coal companies
and deposited with the coal controller on all coal raised and
despatched and on all coke manufactured and despatched from the
collieries in India under the Coal Mines (Conservation and
Development) Act, 1974 which under the provisions of section 9 is
to be disbursed by the Central Government to the owners, agents
or managers of coal mines for conservation of coal or development
of coal mines or transportation or related works etc.
(b): Stowing Excise duty paid by coal companies during the last
three years are as under:-
Year Amount(Prov.) (In Rs. crores)(c) to (e): Illegal mining activities in the nature of surreptitious extraction and pilferage of coal from abandoned, closed and disused mines and also from out crop region have been reported from time to time from coal mining areas in the country. However, said such activities are carried out stealthily and clandestinely and as such, it is not possible to identify the exact number and other details sought for.
1997-98 91.90 1998-99 89.29 1999-2000 93.29
total 274.48