Industrialists have asked the government to extend the deadline of Voluntary Declaration of Income Scheme (VDIS), which it introduced this year to bring tax defaulters into book.
At an interaction programme Tuesday, president of Federation of Nepali Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) Kush Kumar Joshi claimed that industrialists have submitted their income details of the businesses they run and there is no need on part of the government to ask them again to show their income details.
He said the government must make clear the list of people who should declare their income details under this scheme, adding the deadline has to be extended since they have limited time left.
In rhetoric of threats, chairman of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) Surendra Bir Malakar warned of street protests if government did not extend the deadline.
Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has already said government is no mood to extend the deadline since the scheme was announced some six months back and the tax defaulters had enough time. The government plans stronger fines for those who failed to meet the deadline.
Rajendra Khetan, a Constituent Assembly member representing CPN (ML), claimed Nepal does not have law for voluntary declaration of income since this is violation of personal secrecy.
Though speakers claimed they all have paid taxes and have no illegal income, they failed to answer why they fear the scheme which is aimed to hook the tax defaulters. nepalnews.com ia Feb 10 09
