No increase in import tax on paper: Ravi

Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake today denounced the claim made by a consumer rights group that there is a move to increase the import taxes on paper and the taxes charged from the advertisements in electronic media.

The Minister said one must not waste time responding to these false statements.

He made this remarks responding to a query made by the Daily Mirror with regard to a statement made by Consumer Rights Protection National Organisation that there is a move to increase the import taxes on paper and the taxes charged from the advertisements in electronic media.

Consumer Rights Protection National Organization President Ranjith Vithanage told Daily Mirror that increase in import taxes of paper used for printing may result in increasing of newspaper prices as packaging may cost more for the producers. Accordingly he said the price of weekly news papers will increase further from the current price of Rs 60. This he said will indirectly affect the people’s right to information as the news papers is the most common and easy way for the people to get information.

Mr. Withanage said there is a move to increase the taxes charged for advertisements in the electronic media, the association urged the government to re-think about this decision. (Yohan Perera)