Financial Times - FCCISL welcomes tax payer’s privilege cards scheme

FCCISL welcomes tax payer’s privilege cards scheme

The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) praised the Commissioner General of the Inland Revenue for the introduction of a novel scheme titled Tax payer’s privilege cards 2007, which it said was a timely inducement to tax payers.

The Federation said the department was the one single institution that repeatedly promoted and advanced the idea of affording recognition to the tax payers who willingly paid taxes and contributed towards nation’s revenue generation. This has finally become a reality, it said.

But it also pointed out that the scheme only recognize the upper level of the tax payers and leaves out a large segment -- indeed the majority of the tax payers. “What we would urge is the expansion of the scheme in due course. This could be achieved by adding more categories and recognizing a greater number of tax payers,” the Federation said, adding however that their proposal doesn’t in any way diminish the appreciation of the initiative on the part of the government.

The Federation said while it was pleased about the offer of gold and silver cards to four categories of citizens, equally important is that the cards will afford priority treatment at state agencies which includes the airport and customs, in addition to he statutory boards.

“The card holders will also be entitled to special benefits from the two state banks. This is indeed a significant incentive and a source of encouragement to tax payers,” it said.

The Department of Inland Revenue said on Tuesday that gold card and silver card endorsements would be provided to those who pay taxes of 500,000 rupees to one million rupees per annum.

This applies to both nationals and non nationals of Sri Lanka. This is a proposal that was made in the 2006 budget and now being enforced to encourage people to pay their taxes..

The special cards entitle recipients to priority treatment at airports and customs’ points, and some other government agencies and special benefits from state banks.

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