Jharkhand asks coal firms to cough up taxes

RANCHI - The Jharkhand government has asked three subsidiaries of state-run Coal India Limited (CIL) to pay taxes for unauthorised mining on state land, an official said Sunday.

Jharkhand Land and Revenue Minister Mahtura Mahto met officials of Central Coalfield Limited (CCL), Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) Saturday in Ranchi.

“The minister asked these companies to pay taxes for mining on gair mazurawa (government land). The state has suffered losses of hundreds of crores due to non-payment of taxes,” an official of the land and revenue told IANS.

The exact tax liability will be conveyed in December, he added, adding that the companies can also present their side of the case.