The privatisation is done on the basis of bidding and the floor level is decided after the rationalisation exercise with regard to the resources collected in the previous two to three years.

It was only recently that the department gave the contract to a private party for Rs 2.5 crore covering the Jhunjhunu district. Before privatisation, the amount collected was Rs 2.04 crore, including Sikar district.

"We expect to mop up at least Rs 5 crore from these two districts," said GS Sandhu, commercial taxes commissioner, in an interview with The Financial Express.

Sandhu, a senior IAS officer, said that even in the Dholpur district the department had collected Rs 1.30 crore more after the check post was privatised.

Sandhu said that the department had taken steps to raise additional resources this year. The floor rates have been revised in the case of items such as marble and a few varieties of stones.

He said that steps had been taken to stop leakages and step up the recoveries. The recoverable amount was around Rs 80 crore and he was hopeful that the recoveries would be substantial this year.

He said more emphasis was being laid on the `compliance of tax' and all CTOs had been asked to step up efforts to increase revenues. Checking parties have been pressed into service during the Diwali season so as to have an eye on the movement of goods.

For the current year, the target of sales tax fixed by the government was Rs 2,460 crore as against Rs 2,058 crore last year. The 20 per cent jump in the sales tax collections was the highest and Sandhu was hopeful that the same would be realised.

At the end of September, Rs 1,152 crore had been collected and larger amounts would be collected in the second half as was the case every year."I shall give Rs 400 crore more to the government in the form of sales tax as against Rs 242 crore last year," said Sandhu.