He said the authority introduced sales tax on services among the traders and businessmen two and a half years ago while introduction of Amanat scheme has turned to be a good step to encourage people to pay bill and receive e-invoices at food outlets and bind restaurant/hotel owners not to skip tax. The minister said every businessman and citizen of Pakistan generally want to give tax to the state, but without any hassle usually extended by the tax authorities and repeated visits to tax offices.
He further said the PRA needs to improve its performance by bringing more taxpayers in its tax net through friendly behavior and enhancing the scope of gift schemes. Chaudhry Shafique Ahmed said if people pay taxes to the government, then the govt is responsible for providing them basic amenities and rights of life. He said it is the time for nation to stand up and play its due role in tax collecting efforts of the government to lift the country socio-economically, overcome energy crisis and terrorism.
"Being a resident of Rahim Yar Khan, a backward district, I assure you that we have got best medical treatment facilities and medicines of multi-national companies even at Tehsil Headquarters and this is because of the provincial government's commitment to reach at grass root level," he claimed.
Ahmed said the provincial government is striving to build a society based on the principles of socio-economic justice, adding: "As part of our ambitious growth and development agenda, we are investing in the socio-economic capital of the province."
The minister said while paying taxes to the state, the citizens wondered where the tax payer's money is going. "Why should they pay taxes?" He said the flagship programs of Punjab government answered the question. The minister said it is the tax payer's money that is judiciously utilized for the provision of affordable and decent transport projects like Metro Bus Network and upcoming Orange Train; designing, up-gradation and management of health care services including the establishment of state of the art specialized hospitals for kidney and liver transplant; improvements in public sector education network with better infrastructure and revision of syllabi.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman PRA Raheel Ahmed Siddiqui said it gave him a great sense of achievement in informing that the authority in a very short span of almost five years had made significant impact on enhancing the tax revenues for Punjab and a fine example of this is the continuous success in achievement of its assigned targets.
He informed the participants that in previous fiscal year 2016-17, the PRA had collected record Rs 82.8 billion while registering a growth of more than 35 percent over last year. "Moreover, the tax base in the corresponding period has also increased to 40,000 which is more than double the number of registered taxpayers when compared with the figures of 2014-15."
He said the PRA is trying its utmost to inculcate a new culture of voluntary tax compliance in Punjab by introducing a transparent, equitable and fair tax administration system which has enhanced the confidence of taxpayers. In recent times, the PRA has invested in introducing new facilitation measures like e-courts linking appellate tribunal and commissioner appeals with all field offices, allowing online filing of appeals and online issuance of orders.
Successful completion of programs like junior and senior internship programs along with voluntary tax assistance program are also milestone achievements considering the fact that the youth are the future of Pakistan and it is they who shall create a just and fair country. And rightly now we call them our "Tax Ambassador," Siddiqui added.
He told the audience that the authority had conducted 12 draws of Amanat scheme in which 36 cars, 60 motorcycles, as many Umra tickets and dozens of LED television sets were distributed. He said their teams were distributing gifts at doorsteps.
The PRA chairperson said the balloting for Faisalabad people would take place after Eid ul Azha and separate gifts had been reserved for them. He announced to launch Amanat scheme at Rawalpindi by the end of this current year. He said the London School of Economics and the Harvard University are going to sign an agreement with the PRA to study Amanat Scheme and its success stories aimed at binding restaurant customers to receive invoice from the restaurants for collection of GST in real time.
Coming to the Restaurants Invoice Monitoring System (RIMS), Siddiqui said it is a successful and innovative venture and Amanat scheme has resulted in raising awareness amongst taxpayers besides securing the tax revenue for Punjab. He said the PRA, under the guidance of the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, has come to a position where they consider us amongst the pioneer sub-national tax collecting agency and a driving force towards a smart tax administration.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017