Only Rs. 157 billion out of a Rs. 943 billion outstanding tax revenue by 30 June 2023 could be recovered, said the Department of Inland Revenue.
Recovered during the year out of that amount is Rs. 37 billion, it said.
The balance Rs. 767 billion cannot be collected due to various reasons.
These figures came to light at a meeting of the sectoral oversight committee on national economic and physical plan.
Committee chairman Mahindananda Aluthgamage said a payer can avoid paying taxes for a 15-year period.
That is because evaluation of a tax file takes 30 months, followed by another 24 months to consider an appeal.
An appeal submitted to the tax appeals commission takes up to two years for consideration, after which the appellant can go to either the supreme court or the appeal court.
The meeting decided on the need to tax laws expeditiously as a remedial measure.
(deshaya.lk)
