Nimroz revenue goes up by 20pc, claims official

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): The revenue collected in southwestern Nimroz province has risen by nearly 20 percent, compared to last year, officials said on Wednesday.

Ziauddin Zia, the revenue director, said his department had collected 512 million afghanis in 2016, compared to last year’s figure of 411 million afs.

“The Ministry of Finance (MoF) hadset us a target of 463 million afghanis for this year, but we have been able to collect 49 million afs more,” he said.

He linked the revenue hike to improved security, good governance and law enforcement in Nimroz province. The revenue would further increase with finding of new income sources.

Zia listed telephone operators, propertytransactions, income tax, private organisations and companies as the main sources of revenue.

Abdul Manan, a shopkeeper in Zaranj, said businesses in the province were not in good shape. He asked the government to reduce the tax on shopkeepers.

But the director insisted the tax rate was less compared to neighbouring countries. A shopkeeper earning less than 150,000 afghanis a year would be exempted from tax, he said.

A businessman earning more had to only 100 afghanis for each 100,000 afghanis, the official explaining, asking all well-off individuals to pay taxes regularly.

mds/mud