 |
Kathmandu Thursday May 31, 2001 Jestha 18, 2058.
|
Revenue collection not
satisfactory: Mahat
Post Report
KATHMANDU, May 30 - Finance Minister Dr Ram
Sharan Mahat has said though the revenue collection lately has improved, the government’s
performance in the revenue front is still not satisfactory and revenue potentials have not
been fully utilized.
"There is a need for extra efforts to boost
the government revenue collection as envisaged in the last budget. Attention must be paid
to achieve the target within the next one and half months," Mahat said.
Minister Mahat was speaking at an interaction
program at the Ministry of Finance, organized with a view to address the present obstacles
that government officials have been facing in the revenue collection . The program also
comes as feedback for the preparation of the budget for the next fiscal year, which is to
be presented soon.
Various departmental heads, including the heads
of different customs offices, Value Added Tax (VAT) offices and Income Tax offices
attended the program. A clearly unsatisfied Finance Minister Mahat was addressing the
government officials urging for a more concentrated effort for achieving the revenue
targets. "Employ all possible means to meet the revenue target. There should be no
slackness," he sternly said.
Mahat stressed upon the need to strengthen
inter-departmental coordination and work coherently for generating greater revenue. In
addition, pointing at the weaknesses of the various departments, he said, "If
necessary, even legal provisions have to be changed."
Highlighting the various problems in customs
administration, income tax and VAT, Minister Mahat said, "There is an utmost need to
implement Automated System of Customs Data (ASYCUDA) for effective revenue
mobilization."
"ASYCUDA allows quick availability of
customs data, which can be used to compare the transaction value of various goods at
different customs check points," he said, especially to address the present problem
of under-invoicing faced by the customs department that has seriously threatened the
effective implementation of VAT. ASYCUDA has been implemented in all major border customs
points, except Tatopani and Kakarvitta.
Minister Mahat also said that problems like
under-valuation at the customs points, lack of proper billing in the VAT system and narrow
base of income tax are seriously impairing the overall revenue collection of the
government. "Unless under-invoicing at customs points is stopped, billing and
compliance in VAT improved and the base for income tax increased, there is little scope
for increasing the government revenue," said Mahat.
Emphasizing on the need to enlarge the income
tax base, Mahat said that the Tax Department has not been able to reach into some of the
areas like rental services, NGOs and INGOs, and local agents for contractors, among
others.
Similarly, with a view to enhance the efficiency
of government offices, Mahat said that there should be an effective system whereby files
are cleared and assessed within a very short span. The efficiency of the government
offices must be modified from the working pattern of the past to a more modern and
taxpayer friendly, Mahat said.
On the same occasion, participants at the
program suggested Minister Mahat on the various steps that could be taken in the next
budget for a more effective revenue mobilization. While income tax officials lamented over
the huge amount of money locked up as dues from government entreprises, customs officials
said that there is no uniformity in the valuation of goods at the customs points.
Other Story
|
