Curbing GST evasion: FBR to outline ‘guide techniques’ for IROs

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to outline guide techniques for Inland Revenue Officers for effective monitoring of sales/clearances of goods at the big retail outlets and manufacturing premises of different sectors to control sales tax evasion.

Under the section 40-B of the Sales Tax Act 1990, the IR Officers can conduct supervisory clearances of the finished products or manufactured goods at the factory premises or retail outlets.

In this connection, the FBR will depute Inland Revenue Officers at retail outlets, who have not been integrated with the Point of Sale (POS) system, for monitoring of their sales for payment of sales tax.

Moreover, the FBR can also depute IR Officers on sugar mills to check whether the relevant sector is clearing all sugar bags with tax stamps under the track and trace system.

According to the FBR’s instructions to the field formations here on Tuesday, as per direction of the FBR chairman, mandatory workshops would be held for inspectors Inland Revenue. The subject of the training is “How to impose effective section 40-B of the Sales Tax Act 1990”.

In this regard, the FBR has deputed sales tax officers such big retail outlets and manufacturing premises under section 40B of the Sales Tax Act 1990. The FBR has made operational Terms of Reference (TORs) for integration of retailers into the POS system.

According to sources, some Tier-I retailers were reluctant to be integrated with POS system despite, repeated reminders of the FBR. To deal with such retailers, the FBR has started deputing IR officers at their sales premises to check sales. The presence of the IR officers at these places force the retailers to get themselves registered with the POS system of the FBR.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021