Understaffed NBR struggling to achieve largest ever revenue target
Sunday, 27 December 2009
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is trying hard to achieve the biggest ever revenue target with its lowest ever manpower, reports UNB.
"The current manpower of NBR is at the lowest level after the 90s although its areas of works have widened a lot and has a target to collect around 5 times higher revenue," said an official preferring not to be named.
He said that the export and import of the country had doubled since the 90s while the number of Value Added Taxpayer (VAT) increased 32 times.
Under customs, excise and VAT wings, there are 107 VAT circles, 27 VAT divisions, seven customs, excise and VAT commissionerates, three customs houses, and one customs and bond commissionerate.
"But, the NBR could not appoint new officials after 1991. The appointment to the inspector post remained stuck up for the last 26 years due to a writ pending in the Supreme Court," the official said.
Other NBR sources said that only 3000 officials and employees of the NBR were now examining 650,000 enlisted VAT-paying organisations.
Another official in the NBR said that it was not possible to examine and prepare documents of 150,000 organisations each month.
Besides, he said, there was a provision to examine 20 per cent of the total VAT-enlisted organisation each year. "So, the NBR fails to examine all those, except 450 VAT-enlisted organisations," the NBR official added.
Meanwhile, the NBR has sent a proposal to the Establishment Ministry for the appointment of new staff to gear up its activities.
"The current manpower of NBR is at the lowest level after the 90s although its areas of works have widened a lot and has a target to collect around 5 times higher revenue," said an official preferring not to be named.
He said that the export and import of the country had doubled since the 90s while the number of Value Added Taxpayer (VAT) increased 32 times.
Under customs, excise and VAT wings, there are 107 VAT circles, 27 VAT divisions, seven customs, excise and VAT commissionerates, three customs houses, and one customs and bond commissionerate.
"But, the NBR could not appoint new officials after 1991. The appointment to the inspector post remained stuck up for the last 26 years due to a writ pending in the Supreme Court," the official said.
Other NBR sources said that only 3000 officials and employees of the NBR were now examining 650,000 enlisted VAT-paying organisations.
Another official in the NBR said that it was not possible to examine and prepare documents of 150,000 organisations each month.
Besides, he said, there was a provision to examine 20 per cent of the total VAT-enlisted organisation each year. "So, the NBR fails to examine all those, except 450 VAT-enlisted organisations," the NBR official added.
Meanwhile, the NBR has sent a proposal to the Establishment Ministry for the appointment of new staff to gear up its activities.