Tax boost initiative: FBR chief sets up two task forces

Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Ansar Javed has constituted two task forces with the objective to take policy measures for increasing revenue collection, enhancing efficiency in FBR and bringing more transparency in tax administration.
Sources told Business Recorder here on Tuesday that the initiative has been taken by FBR Chairman Ansar Javed to improve tax collection by taking measures to bring transparency in the matters of the tax administration. The constitution of task forces was need of the hour in view of current pace of revenue collection and more co-ordinated efforts between the Board and the field formations.
The first task force would be headed by Deputy Chairman Inland Revenue ((IR). Members of the task force are Member (IR-Ops), Member Strategic Planning and Statistics (SP&S), Chief (IR-Policy) and any other member, opted by the task force. The second Task Force would be headed by FBR Deputy Chairman (Customs). Members of the task force are Member (Customs), Member (SP&S) Chief (Tariff-I) and any other member, opted by the task force. The Terms of Reference of each task force will be formulation of short term, medium term and long term administrative as well as policy measures to increase revenue; enhance efficiency in FBR and bring more transparency in tax administration.
Sources added that the FBR Chairman has directed the task forces to submit the requisite reports by April 26, 2013. According to sources, the basic objective of the Task Forces is to take administrative and policy measures to improve collection before budget (2013-14). In the remaining period of current fiscal, some urgent measures are needed to be taken for increasing revenue collection. The prime focus of the task forces would be increase in revenue collection through administrative and enforcement measures. For example, exercise would be conducted for recovery of arrears, expedite court cases, settlement of disputed cases, resolution of disputes between the department and taxpayers through Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism, checking of under-invoicing at imports, better valuation of imported goods and checking revenue leakages during clearance of imported consignments.