Nearly 200,000 new taxpayers registered so far in 2023: IRD tells COPA

19 November 2023 09:23 am - 14 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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(COLOMBO) (Daily Mirror)- The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has informed the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) that 198,253 new taxpayers have been registered so far in 2023.

The Inland Revenue Department officials said it has been identified that there are about 16 million citizens over the age of 18 and special programmes are being implemented to include them in the tax payment.

This was revealed when the Committee on Public Accounts met in Parliament recently under the chairmanship of Lasantha Alagiyawanna to examine the Auditor General's reports and the current performance of the Inland Revenue Department for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021.

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) was questioned by COPA whether the government is properly receiving the Value Added Tax (VAT) paid by the public for various goods and services.

At present, about thirteen thousand institutions have registered for the VAT and the Inland Revenue Department officials said they are investigating into the payment of this tax to the government by these institutions. The committee pointed out that the institutions that collect VAT from the public should prepare a system to remit the taxes correctly to the government.

The committee chairman asked the officials whether there is a possibility to take over and maintain the RAMIS computer system in the Inland Revenue Department itself. However, the IRD officials informed the Committee that they cannot take over and maintain the system due to the lack of proper human resources.

It was revealed in the committee that six institutions have already been connected to the RAMIS computer system and the Department of the Registrar of Companies is still delayed in being connected to the RAMIS system due to some technical reason.

Accordingly, the committee recommended the Department of the Registrar of Companies to immediately upgrade their system and connect with the RAMIS system. A report on its progress was also directed to be forwarded to the committee before January 01, 2023.

Comments - 14

Jude Sunday, 19 November 2023 09:38 AM

You can open Even One million tax files, the question is are you collecting taxes!!???

Devin Sunday, 19 November 2023 10:45 AM

100% Agree..... Practical ways needs to be implemented.

Gunadasa Sunday, 19 November 2023 11:40 AM

That's the first step of catching tax evaders

Lanak Sunday, 19 November 2023 10:48 AM

What about 225 Mps did they do it . Start from all politicians and set some examples and people will follow you . All professionals must be included .. Computerize the collection of all taxes ..then no one can evade it

Joshua Sunday, 19 November 2023 11:13 AM

No use talking big about it. Can you collect first from the Rajapakshes, nadesan etc ? Also good chance for ird officials to make money . Corruption is in their blood

Reformist Sunday, 19 November 2023 11:18 AM

Is your new KPI now the number of tax files, instead of amount of taxes collected?. Make sure all those opened tax files amount to taxes paid too. They will simply bribe their way out. What is sure will be that IRD officials will have more and more bribes.

B C P Fernando Sunday, 19 November 2023 03:09 PM

Cannot collect VAT from consumers because iIRD is issuing temporary VAT for individuals and companies. With this importers are playing games. Permanent vat holders can only issue vat bills . Without maintaining permanent files IRD officials are free of work. Less files to look after. Permanent vat holders are in trouble. They might be out of business soon because they can’t give goods to customers as cheap as temporary vat holders. This is a mess. Country can’t go on like this.

Ram Sunday, 19 November 2023 04:57 PM

Tax file number must be made a compulsory disclosure for Lending Institutions/Banks to give credit facilities

Sambo Sunday, 19 November 2023 07:36 PM

This over the age of 18 opening tax files is an dumb idea by some dumb person. Open tax files for those who earn a substantial revenue and who should be identified as tax payers and also go behind the tax invaders. Opening a does not mean nothing.

Kandiah Balendran Monday, 20 November 2023 06:11 AM

Unemployed persons having a tax file is meaningless.

Avery Markham Monday, 20 November 2023 06:12 AM

Make all VAT registered organizations cashless as a first step. Then revenues and VAT collected cannot be hidden.

Quo vadis Monday, 20 November 2023 06:12 AM

Lawyers and doctors take cash to the hand.

ERAN Wicks Monday, 20 November 2023 06:13 AM

Politicians family members are biggest tax evaders and money launderers.

DOT Monday, 20 November 2023 06:41 AM

Despite all file preparations, the budget gap continually widening!

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Nearly 200,000 new taxpayers registered so far in 2023: IRD tells COPA

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