Tax arrears in Nghe An are nearly 1,500 billion VND

On the morning of November 30, the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council held a meeting to review draft resolutions and reports related to budget revenue and expenditure in the province. Photo: Mai Hoa

There is no drastic solution to reduce tax debt

Examining the report on the implementation of the 2019 state budget estimate and the 2020 state budget estimate plan, members of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council highly appreciated the efforts and determination of the Finance sector in increasing budget revenue in the province.

The 2019 budget revenue results reached and exceeded the estimate assigned by the Provincial People's Council, with the estimated annual implementation being 15,500 billion VND. At the district level, except for Hoang Mai town, the rest all reached and exceeded the revenue estimate assigned by the province, with many districts achieving high results.

However, the issue was raised by the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council and requested the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Finance to clarify the reasons for two unachieved revenue items, including revenue from foreign-invested enterprises and lottery revenue.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Hoang Viet Duong requested the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Finance to develop revenue and expenditure estimates that closely follow the targets assigned by the Ministry of Finance and the specific situation of the locality. Photo: Mai Hoa

In particular, the tax debt situation not only did not decrease but continued to increase in 2019. This raises the question, is it possible that the Finance sector has not been determined to collect debt or has not yet had effective solutions?

Accumulated tax arrears in 2019 were VND 1,447 billion, while arrears in 2018 were VND 1,061 billion, of which bad debt was VND 522 billion.

Based on that reality, according to the Chief of the Provincial People's Council Office Pham Van Hoa, the Provincial People's Committee and the Finance sector need to include tax arrears in the revenue estimate for 2020 to assign responsibility to sectors and levels from the province to the commune level. In addition, the estimated collection of taxes and fees must ensure that the Ministry of Finance's direction increases revenue by 10-12%.

Some opinions participating in the review also requested the Department of Finance to continue to seriously implement the Resolution on the results of monitoring the management and budget collection work in the province, issued by the Provincial People's Council in July 2019.

Director of the Department of Finance Nguyen Van Hai explained and clarified the issues raised by the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council. Photo: Mai Hoa

In particular, it is necessary to pay attention to investigating, reviewing and strictly managing individual business households to include them in the tax system, avoiding omission of subjects, ensuring fairness among taxpayers; at the same time, resolutely proposing drastic solutions to combat tax losses in the fields of minerals, transportation business, land rent from investment projects, etc.

Regarding the 2020 budget revenue and expenditure, many opinions suggested that the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Finance pay attention to building revenue estimates to ensure the estimates assigned by the Ministry of Finance and to be close to the province's reality.

On the other hand, pay attention to the budget for implementing new policies and guidelines, such as merging communes and hamlets and organizing Party congresses at all levels in 2020; spending on natural disaster support...

In addition, some delegates also said that it is necessary to focus on ensuring investment spending for unfinished projects; spending on environmental protection; spending for site clearance work...

The Provincial People's Council's monitoring delegation discussed with individual business households in Cua Lo town. Photo: Mai Hoa

Focus on fighting waste in the land sector

Reviewing the report on the results of practicing thrift and fighting waste in 2019 and the tasks for 2020, it shows that this task is implemented in many areas.

For example, in the stages of investment project appraisal, technical economic reports, and construction drawing design, nearly 350 billion VND has been cut. Or through the preparation, appraisal, approval of estimates, final settlement, management, and use of state budget funds, more than 226 billion VND has been saved...

However, some opinions also suggested that the Provincial People's Committee focus on combating waste in the land sector, including land for projects that have not been implemented for many years and production land abandoned by people.

There is also land that has been converted from rice-growing land, protective forest land, and special-use forest land to carry out projects, but the implementation rate after conversion, including projects, works, and recovered area, is still low.

Along with that, there are solutions to propagate and raise awareness in all levels, sectors, organizations, units, businesses and people to change consciousness in daily life, save consumption, and fight waste...