The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has advised the Inland Revenue Department to prepare a system to ensure that the Government receives the Value Added Tax (VAT) paid by the people properly.
Inland Revenue Department officials said that about 13,000 companies have currently registered for VAT and that they are investigating whether those companies are paying the relevant tax to the Government properly.
Inland Revenue Department Officials met under its Chairman, MP Lasantha Alagiyawanna when the the COPA Committee met recently. So far in 2023,1,98,253 new taxpayers have been registered and it has been identified that there are about 16 million citizens over 18.
The Chairman questioned officials whether there is a possibility to take over and maintain the RAMIS software by the Inland Revenue Department. However, Inland Revenue Department officers informed the committee that they cannot take over and maintain the system due to the lack of proper human resources.
It was revealed in the committee that six organizations are working on connecting to the Ramis computer system and the Registrar of Companies is still delayed in connecting to the Ramis system due to some technical reason. The committee recommended to the Department to immediately make relevant updates in their system and connect with the RAMIS system. A report on its progress should also directed to to the committee before January.
Irangika Range