Kathmandu, September 8
Businesspersons have urged the government to extend the deadline set for this Thursday to pay the value-added tax on goods and services citing restrictions imposed to control the coronavirus spread in the country.
Where most of the economic activities take place in the Kathmandu valley, district administration offices here have imposed a prohibitory order that is in effect until Wednesday midnight. Further, the DAOs are highly likely to extend it by at least one week. Currently, movement and businesses have been fully or partially restricted in 40 districts across the country.
Therefore, the businesspersons have expressed dissatisfaction with the pressure to pay the taxes on time. The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s vice-president Umesh Lal Shrestha says the early deadline shows the government does not trust the private sector.
Likewise, Nepal Chamber of Commerce president Rajesh Kaji Shrestha demands the government extend the deadline by at least two weeks.
Meanwhile, officials of the Inland Revenue Department say they cannot make any decision regarding the deadline extension, adding the government itself should decide.
