Opposition MP Patali Champika Ranawaka on Tuesday claimed in Parliament that it was the Committee on Ways and Means that had paved the way for the collection of a part of the Rs 6,721 million to be collected from five liquor manufacturing companies which have defaulted on their taxes.
Ranawaka said it was the Ways and Means Committee which recommended that bottles of liquor with counterfeit stickers should be confiscated. “We also revealed that counterfeit stickers were the main reason for the revenue fall of the Excise Department. However, the reason given was the low sales of liquor after tax increment. However, we found out that the reason for the revenue loss were the counterfeit stickers pasted on bottles of illicit liquor. I have information that the media institutions have been asked not to publish my statements with regard to the issue,” he claimed.
State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that a major portion of a sum of Rs 6,721 million is yet to be collected from five liquor manufacturing companies that have defaulted on taxes due to the Treasury.
State Minister Siyambalapitiya said the amount which the five companies have to settle is Rs 2,715 million but it had come to Rs 6, 721 million with three percent surcharge. “These companies have filed legal action after their licenses were cancelled and the next hearing is due on November 13,” the State Minister said.