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Goa Government Losing 5000 Crore a Year Due to Revenue Leaks From Casinos

Casinos are supposed to be the only strong revenue generator for the state exchequer since the mining business had been closed down, but the revelations
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Casinos are supposed to be the only strong revenue generator for the state exchequer since the mining business had been closed down, but the revelations made by the Congress state president Girish Chodankar has shocked the state. According to Mr. Chodankar, the state of  Goa is losing around 4000 to 5000 crore revenue every year due to the revenue leaks from Casinos.

According to the news published by NDTV due to the cash transactions of Casinos in the state, it is very difficult to find out the amount of cash being transacted by them in a day in this cause a huge revenue leaks.   

After the recent announcement of Goa Minister about the setting up of a Casinos on a strip of land near Panaji, the Congress party demanded a probe into the casino industry operating in the coastal state.      

Goa Congress President Girish Chodankar also alleged that the state government was losing Rs. 4,000 crore to Rs. 5,000 crore every year due to revenue leakages from the casino industry, adding that the Congress was against the casino industry in the tourist state.           

“The Prime Minister calls for e-transactions and using less cash. But the entire casino industry is running on cash. 90 percent is in cash transactions, which are never shown on their books. Their computer system is such that if there is a transaction of Rs.1 lakh, it will show as only Rs. 10,000. It is automatic. The DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) should raid, the Income Tax should raid and check,” Mr. Chodankar said.

It may be recalled that on Sunday the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai had made an announcement of moving the offshore casinos on the strip of land near Panaji, and set up the independent casino city on the lines of the casinos at the Hong Kong harbor. 

The reports say that the present concern of the state is not the moving of casinos but the finding out the huge revenue leaks that is going on due to the cash transactions. Because of this revenue system, and since there is no check on what is happening inside the casinos, the state government has lost Rs. 24,000 crores in revenues since 2012 and it is a huge amount for the state government whose treasury is getting empty by the day.

According to the reports, currently, there are six offshore casinos anchored and operating from the Mandovi river off Panaji, while there are about nine onshore casinos that function out of the numerous five-star resorts that dot the state.

The issue of Casinos is the big political game, and every political party plays that for their own benefits. While the BJP was in opposition during 2007-2012, they had opposed the Casinos in Goa, In fact, Parrikar had assured that the moment their government comes to power they will throw out all the casinos from Mandovi.

The BJP came to power but, the casinos did not move from Mandovi, in fact, they increased in numbers but, despite that BJP kept blaming Congress for getting the Casinos in Goa.

Now it is the turn of Congress who is blaming BJP for the loss of revenue. This game will continue, the government will come, the government will go but the Casinos are here to stay. What is your opinion on this issue? Please do share your comments and suggestions on this story.      

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