Mahindananda Aluthgamage calls for tax revenue boost and overhaul of collection system

Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans, Mahindananda Aluthgamage at a press conference held today (26) at the Presidential Media Centre under the theme ‘Collective Path to a stable country’ emphasized the need to establish a dedicated unit for overseeing institutions responsible for generating tax revenue, including the Inland Revenue Department.

The former minister also stressed the importance of the government taking decisive measures concerning officials who are not actively contributing to the growth of the state’s tax revenue.

He said that the government has set ambitious revenue targets, including Rs. 3101 billion from the Inland Revenue Department, Rs. 1217 billion from Sri Lanka Customs, and Rs. 217 billion from the Excise Department. Unfortunately, the current figures fall short of these expectations, with the Inland Revenue Department collecting Rs. 956 billion, Sri Lanka Customs contributing Rs. 578 billion and the Excise Department generating Rs. 109 billion, totaling only Rs. 1643 billion.