'Reforms to raise tax-GDP ratio by 0.2 percent per annum'

The ongoing tax reforms will facilitate 0.2percent increase in tax-GDP ratio per annum with reduction in compliance cost of taxpayers through efficient tax administration. The Central Board of Revenue CBR would achieve this objective by promoting a paperless, investment and growth friendly taxpaying environment, Khawaja Tanveer Ahmed Member (Tax Policy and Reforms) of the CBR told APP here on Saturday.
He said that CBR was according top priority to the agenda of the government to promote investment and sustainable economic growth and government, in the budget 2005-06, had announced a number of incentives for the taxpayers.
Highlighting the importance of investment in the country, Tanveer said that it would generate more revenues and taxes for the prosperity of the country.
About tax reforms initiated by the CBR, he said that main objectives of the reforms were aimed to increase revenue, widen the taxpayer base, simplify the tax laws, promote taxpayer-friendly environment and develop an honest and efficient tax administration in the country.
Tanveer Ahmed said that CBR had initiated Customs Administrative Reforms) (CARE) in 2002 as part of its campaign to revamp the federal tax collection machinery adding that this would be replicated to other parts of the country.
Medium Taxpayers Units (MTUs) would be established in Faisalabad, Sialkot and Gawadar to provide tax relate facility in a conducive environment. Eight model tax collection stations would be established at Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Multan, Peshawar, Gawadar, Quetta and Hyderabad, he added.
He said that two Large Taxpayers Units (LTUs) had been established one each at Lahore and Karachi. An MTU was also established in 2002 at Lahore and four similar MTUs would also be set up at Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Karachi while two MTUs would be set up at Quetta and Faisalabad by the end of September this year, he added.
An LTU would also be completed in Islamabad during the financial year 2005-06, he added.
Khawaja Tanveer Ahmed said that 12 Regional Tax Offices were being established to cater to all domestic taxes under one window and for the facilitation of the taxpayers and added that 75 Taxpayers Facilitation Centres were being established in the country.
CBR was also focusing on the training and skill development of its staff for efficient handling of tax administration. Some 58 officers of CBR had already completed special training from Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi. An MOU had also been signed with IBA Karachi for the training of mid career officers of the CBR, he added.
In service officers were also being imparted training to further enhance their skills so that they could be able to efficiently handle the affairs of the tax administration in the country, Tanveer told.
On job training of CBR officers of Grade 17 and above would be started in July. The reforms process costing Rs149 million and would be completed by the year 2009, he added.