Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Revenue Secretary Takes Heart from Collection

The government collected Rs 22.5 billion revenue by the second month (Bhadra) of the current fiscal year.

Speaking at a press meet today, revenue secretary Krishna Hari Baskota said that revenue collection is satisfactory -- both in agricultural and trade sectors. "There has been 30 per cent increment in the revenue collection from customs," he said adding that the government has collected Rs 8 billion from VAT, Rs 3 billion from excise, Rs 3 billion from income tax, Rs 500 million from transportation and Rs 75 billion from registration. "Currently India has eight per cent inflation and Nepal has 13 per cent. There is not much difference," he argued. According to Baskota, the government is very much concerned about awareness about tax and about is distributing pamphlets at shopping centres and malls. "During the Dashain holidays, the customs points will remain closed but for emergency and at airport, they will be operational," he added.

Meanwhile, Pradeep Man Vaidhya, coordinator of the Revenue Committee at Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) voiced his dissatisfaction over the appointees in the panel to recommend on Central Revenue Board. However, Baskota said the board was temporary and was by November 15, it will submit its report.

Vaidhya, however, supported the government's PAN distribution drive.

The board consists of Prof Dr Madan Dahal, Prof Dr Puspa Kandel, Niranjan Tibrewal, joint secretary at the finance ministry Santa Raj Subedi and senior advisor Keshav Acharya.

On the occasion, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) Surendra Bir Malakar urged the government to regularly monitor the market not only during the festive season only.

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