(எம்.மனோசித்ரா) பாராளுமன்றத்தில் அண்மையில் முன்வைக்கப்பட்ட உள்நாட்டு இறைவரி மற்றும் வற் வரிச் சீர்திருத்தங்கள் தொடர்பாகச் சமூகத்தில் பரப்பப்படும் வதந்திகள் முற்றிலும் தவறானவை என நிதி திட்டமிடல் பிரதி அமைச்சர் அனில் ஜயந்த பெர்னாண்டோ தெரிவித்தார். கொழும்பிலுள்ள அரசாங்க தகவல் திணைக…
(M. Manoshitra) The rumors being spread in the community regarding the recent domestic tax and excise reforms presented in Parliament are completely false, said Deputy Minister of Financial Planning Anil Jayantha Fernando. He made this statement at a media briefing held at the Department of Government Information in Colombo on Friday. The Fiscal Strategy Report for the year 2027 has been submitted to Parliament under the Public Finance Management Act No. 44 of 2024. The country's fiscal discipline can be maintained only by planning the government's essential expenditures and avoiding waste. In 2025, the country's budget deficit was reduced to 2.3 percent of the GDP. This is the lowest deficit recorded since 1957, which has greatly helped in controlling the country's debt burden. Despite recent natural disasters and global war situations, the domestic economy has been able to remain stable without additional debt due to proper financial management. No new taxes have been imposed on small traders or retailers. VAT is a tax on consumption and not an income tax on traders. Considering the economic crises prevailing in the country, the income threshold for VAT registration has been maintained at 60 million. Furthermore, the claims that a new tax has been imposed on software are also to be rejected. He said that the aim of this new amendment is to create a level playing field for domestic traders by bringing foreign digital platforms and electronic services, which were not subject to VAT until now, into the VAT net while domestic digital service providers are already paying tax.