KARACHI - The revenue collected by Excise and Taxation Department, Government of Sindh, under different heads of duties and taxes increased by 68 per cent during the financial year 2008-09 as compared to the previous financial year. This was disclosed by Muhammad Asif Marghoob Siddiqui, Director General, Excise and Taxation Sindh during a briefing given to Provincial Minister Excise and Taxation Sindh in his office, here on Thursday.  Disclosing this, he stated that revenue up to October 2008 under the heads of Infrastructure Cess, Motor Vehicle Tax, Excise Duty, Cotton Fee, Professional Tax and Hotel Tax increased by Rs2005.68 million. He further said that during the financial year 2007-08 total collection upto October 2008 was Rs2960.95 million whereas in 2008-09 the same was Rs4966.63 million. This is to despite the fact that revenue under the head of Motor Vehicle Tax recorded a decrease of 2 percent as compared to previous financial year due to decline in registration of vehicle of different categories. He attributed the growth in revenue mainly to the higher collection in Infrastructure Cess rate of which was increased from 0.5 percent to 0.8 percent and also strict monitoring and administrative measures taken in this regard on the direction of Provincial Minister, Excise and Taxation Sindh. He further added that during the period an amount of Rs956.81 million has also been deposited in the shape of Bank Guarantee under the head of Infrastructure Cess which is not included in the actual collection. An amount of Rs657.74 million has been collected under the head of Motor Vehicle Tax, Rs552.73 million as Excise Duty, Rs3562.65 million as Infrastructure Cess Rs43.71 million as Cotton Fee, Rs90.59 million as Professional Tax and Rs59.19 million as Hotel Tax. As regards collection of devolved taxes, Director General stated that up to October 2008 Rs729.01 million has been collected under the head of Property Tax which is Rs82.37 million more than the collection of corresponding period of 2007-08. On the occasion reviewing the performance, the Provincial Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla has stressed that maximum efforts should be made for realization of the duties and taxes at their full potential. For this purpose efforts are also being made by the Department for computerization of the record to bring transparency. Public complaints are also being addressed and action will be taken against those involved in harassment to the tax payers and rewards will be recommended for those whose performance has been outstanding.