LAHORE: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has captured data sources such as banks, vehicles and real estate transactions and a databank has also been developed for a 360-degree view of taxpayers, sources said.
Already, sources said, the Board has obtained data from DISCOs and gas companies under the Broadening of Tax Base (BTB) initiatives. Data of more than 3.5 million industrial and commercial users gathered and informal letters have been issued to all such consumers for registration.
Industrial and commercial data of DISCOs is being utilized for registration of those traders who have obtained commercial or industrial connections but are not registered for sales tax.
They said the number of tax filers has reached around 2.7 million, which is a record high in the history of the FBR for the tax year 2018. They said the Board is focused on various reforms/special initiatives, and steps to fairness and equity in taxation reduces the burden of high taxes that distorts economic incentives, improve tax enforcement and promote efficient and responsive tax administration.
The Board sources said these initiatives are intended to give fruitful results in the form of better revenue collection in line with efforts to facilitate the taxpayers for the best outcome.
For simplification/automation of registration of sales tax and income tax, they said, a mobile app has been launched for online registration. However, biometric verification has been outsourced to Nadra to avoid any contact between a tax collector and taxpayer. In addition, the 'Tax Assan' App has also been launched which cater to the filing of simple returns.
Similarly, measures have also been adopted for the enforcement of income tax, withholding taxes besides a special WH Tax management plan.
The Board has developed a mobile app for customers to get cashback on sales invoices besides installing track & trace system for specified goods (tobacco, cement, sugar, beverages and fertilizers), the establishment of port teams for third schedule items, joint anti-smuggling field intelligence exercise, and Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) to check smuggling and counterfeit products and counterfeit products in tobacco, electronics, cosmetics, and beverages.
Other Initiatives included Plaza Mapping at Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad, the launch of device identification, registration and blocking system (DIRBS) to control smuggling of mobile devices, discouraging imports of luxurious goods through additional regulatory duties (RDs), forensic audit in sugar, tobacco and steel industries to address leakages and tax evasion and in these industries.
Under the customs implementation plan, they said, the initiative included more contribution/collection through realizing stuck-up revenue through administrative measures like auctions, recovery, litigation disposal, enhancement of the effectiveness of the risk management process, and establishment of national targeting centre to prevent loss of revenue through misdeclaration in values, quantities, & description.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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