Levy of tax on purchase of cane.
1[(1) The Government may, by notification, levy a tax at
a rate not exceeding 2[one hundred rupees] per metric
tonne on the purchase of cane required for use,
consumption or sale in a factory or a khandasari unit.]
(1-A) [xxx]
(2) The Government may, by notification, remit in whole
or in part such tax in respect of cane used or intended to be
used in a factory
3[or khandasari unit] for any purpose
specified in such notification.
4[(3) Notwithstanding anything in any other law for the
time being in force, any sum due to the Government
towards the purchase tax levied under this section shall be a
first charge on the sugar produced out of cane already
subject to purchase tax. No occupier of a factory or owner
of a khandasari unit shall remove or cause to be removed
any sugar produced in the factory or khandasari unit on or
after the date specified by the Cane Commissioner in this
behalf, either for consumption or for sale or for manufacture
of any other commodity in or outside the factory or
khandasari unit, until he has paid such sum:
Provided that such sugar may be deposited without
payment of any such sum in a godown or other place of
storage approved by the assessing authority and where it is
so deposited it shall not be removed therefrom until the sum
as aforesaid has been paid.
(3-A) Before the beginning of each crushing season or
as soon thereafter as may be, and in the case of crushing
season beginning on the date of commencement of the
Andhra Pradesh Sugarcane (Regulation of Supply and
Purchase) (Amendment) Act, 1976, as soon as may be after
such commencement, the assessing authority shall work
out and specify the provisional amount of tax calculated per
metric tonne of sugar under sub-section (1), by correlating
the quantity of sugarcane purchased for the factory or
khandasari unit to the sugar produced in the factory or
khandasari unit during the last preceding crushing season in which the factory or khandasari unit was under
production.
Explanation I.- If the factory or khandasari unit was
under production during only a part of any such previous
crushing season, it shall be sufficient to take into
consideration that part of the crushing season during which
the factory or khandasari unit was actually under
production.
Explanation II.- If the factory or khandasari unit had not
commenced production before the crushing season for
which the provisional assessment is made, then the
assessing authority may specify the provisional amount of
tax on the basis of comparable data relating to other
factories or khandasari units, if any, in the same region or of
any other relevant factor.
(3-B) At the end of the crushing season, the assessing
authority shall work out and specify a revised amount of tax
to be paid, by taking into account the quantity of sugarcane
purchased for the factory or khandasari unit and the sugar
produced in the factory or khandasari unit during the current
crushing season, and where the amount is reduced or
increased on such revision, the excess paid or the deficit, as
the case may be, shall be spread over the remaining stock
of the said sugar, and the amount to be paid before removal
of such stock of sugar shall be refixed accordingly; and if no
such sugar remains in stock, then the owner shall be
entitled to a refund or liable to pay the balance, as the case
may be.
(3-C) If at any time it appears to the assessing authority
that a part of the stock of the said sugar has been removed,
or is for any other reason no longer available, and the
payment towards tax due against such part under this
section has not been made, the assessing authority may direct the deficit to be recovered by spreading it over the
sugar in stock at that time.
(3-D) In relation to the tax levied under sub-section (1)
and in respect of purchase of sugarcane on or after the date
of commencement as aforesaid,-
5[(a) sub-sections (4) and (5) shall apply from the
date of purchase of sugarcane from the growers;]
(b) sub-section (3-C) shall apply with the modification
that where the assessing authority is satisfied that the
occupier of a factory or owner of a khandasari unit has
removed or caused to be removed any sugar in
contravention of the provisions of this section or has failed
to account fully for the sugar produced in the factory or
khandasari unit or deposited by him under the proviso to
sub-section (3) the person liable to pay the tax shall in
addition to the amount payable under sub-section (3) in
respect of the quantity of sugar so removed or caused to be
removed or unaccounted for, be also liable to pay by way of
penalty a further sum not exceeding one hundred per cent
of the sum so payable;
(c) the provisions of this sub-section sball be without
prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (3-C).]
(4) The tax payable under sub-section (1)
6[xxx] shall
be levied and collected from the occupier of the factory
3[or
owner of the khandasari unit] in such manner and by such
authority as may be prescribed.
(5) Arrears of tax shall carry interest
7[at such rate as
may be prescribed.]
(6) If the tax under this section together with the interest,
if any, due thereon, is not paid by the occupier of a factory
3[or owner of a khandasari unit] within the prescribed time,
it shall be recoverable from him as an arrear of land
revenue.
8[provided that the total amount due as tax under this
section together with interest, if any, due thereon shall be
communicated under the signature of the Cane
Commissioner to the Collector for its recovery as an arrear
of land revenue.]
1. Sub-section (1-A) inserted by Act No.4 of 1967. For sub-section (1)
and (1-A) sub-section (1) substituted by Act No.8 of 1974.
2. Substituted by Act No.10 of 1995.
3. Inserted by Act No.4 of 1967.
4. Sub-sections (3) to (3-D) substituted by Act No.25 of 1976.
5. Substituted by Act No.6 of 2000.
6. The words "or sub-section (1-A)" inserted by Act No.4 of 1967 was
omitted by Act No.8 of 1974.
7. Substituted by Act No.25 of 1976.
8. Added by Act No.25 of 1976.