Colombo District Member of Parliament Patali Champika Ranawaka said in Parliament yesterday (15) that the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has not collected nearly one trillion rupees in taxes.
He indicated that only 50 percent of the tax revenue has been collected.
MP Ranawaka revealed this during the debate on the second reading of the budget.
MP Ranawaka also said that at present, raising taxes without collecting those taxes will cause a social disarray. This country cannot afford major road constructions. One thousand six hundred and fifty million dollars is expected as a loan. In order to receive these, the Financial Fund must be completed. We did not receive the September loan instalment either. The first thing the Government should do is restructure the foreign debt. These numbers are not realistic. People today live in great difficulty. They live by mortgaging their property. Human capital is fleeing the country in droves.
They say they are building universities; however, teachers and doctors are leaving the country. Human capital is lost. Instead of correcting these, narrow political jargon is being spouted. We need a formal programme that will recover the country. This programme should be implemented at ground level. If not, more struggles could rear up in the future. If these issues are not addressed urgently, an unhealthy situation could arise within the first few months of the next year, where the common man will struggle to make a living. A social disturbance cannot be prevented.
Ishara Mudugamuwa