The Inland Revenue Department has made a record collection of taxes amounting to Rs 231 billion up to November this year and the targeted revenue was Rs. 271 billion could be met due to commitment of the tax officers. This was stated by the Minister of State for Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya when he addressed the 45th Annual General Meeting of the Inland Revenue Staff Officers Association in Colombo on Friday.
He said that the Department collects 53% of the government revenue and 90 % of the state revenue comes from direct and indirect taxes. He noted that under these circumstances opposition parliamentarians are going to courts against the imposition of these taxes which will be used to maintain defence, education, transport, health and other important sectors as well as to provide subsidies for fertilizer and to pay Samurdhi recipients.
He added that the government has to spent Rs. 7 billion rupees to supply 14 essential commodities at reasonable prices to consumers. The government’s capital expenditure for this year was around Rs. 2,656 billion. M.P. Abeyratne has been elected as the President of the Association and Ms. N.T.A Dissanayake as the Secretary. |
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