More than 95%of income tax payers meeting commitments on time

Tax collecting process to be doubled:

Anjana SAMARASINGHE

TAX PAYMENT: More than 95 percent of the tax payers in the country pay their income taxes on time and there is a significant growth in the taxpayers who pay their income tax on time.

Commissioner General of Inland Revenue A. A. Wijepala told the Daily News that taxpayers are much more patriotic now and have a clear understanding about how important their contribution to the country's development is.

The Department predicates that the TV commercial 'Api Venuven Api' to promote Sri Lankan forces have brought out patriotic feelings of Sri Lankans. 'We think that taxpayers patriotism increased due to this TV commercial, he said.

This year the Department has made several arrangements to modernise their outstation offices and strengthen the staff to facilitate and accelerate the tax collecting process.

By next month the Department expects to meet their staff shortage and accelerate the revenue collection process.

'We have made arrangements to send our officers to India for training,' he said.

The Department expects to open another new branch in Wattala to provide better services for taxpayers. Wattala has now become a commercialised area and all types of trading is done in Wattala.

The new branch will facilitate taxpayers in Ja-ela and Peliyagoda, Wijepala said.

The Department will modernise their offices in Kurunegala, Anuradhapura and Matara.

These branches will be equipped with latest facilities and will create a taxpayer friendly environment, he said.

There are 410,000 taxpayers in the country and the Department has planned to increase this amount by another 100,000.