Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: Traders around Rara Lake, a major tourist destination of Nepal, have been found evading excise duty and other revenue that they have to pay to the state without taking necessary permission while selling liquor and tobacco products. A monitoring carried out by the District Treasury and Financial Comptroller Office, Mugu, found that most of the hotels and shops had evaded revenue . 

During the joint monitoring carried out under the annual program of the office, it was found that 21 hotels and shops operating in the vicinity of , , topla, Talcha Airport area and Talipum did not have the necessary licenses for the sale of liquor and tobacco products ।

The monitoring team carried out by the representatives of the District Administration Office, District Police Office, Industry and Commerce Association, Federation of Nepali Journalists and other stakeholders found that most of the entrepreneurs did not have PAN number, did not make public the tariff of food and lodging in hotels and lodges and did not take legal permission to sell the goods subject to excise duty ।

Bibek Giri, chief of the District Treasury and Financial Comptroller Office, Mugu, said that the tax and revenue owed to the state has been evaded as the government has not taken legal registration and permission for the operation of the business.He informed the concerned entrepreneurs about the legal provisions, registration process and the penalty to be imposed for non-payment of tax and directed them to complete the registration and permission process at the concerned body within the stipulated time.

During the inspection, the entrepreneurs said that although they were aware of the need to register hotels and shops, they were not aware that separate permission should be taken for the sale of liquor and tobacco products.They have now promised to go to the concerned body and get the necessary permissions.

Dhan Bahadur Budha, president of Rara Tourism Business Association, Mugu, said that the number of tourists visiting Rara has increased in recent years.According to him, although some entrepreneurs are not aware of the need to take permission to sell alcohol and tobacco products, efforts are being made to bring all entrepreneurs into the legal process. He said that all the hotels and shops would be compulsorily registered from the beginning of the next fiscal year and they would be encouraged to take the necessary license to sell alcohol and tobacco products.

The local stakeholders have stressed the need for government agencies to conduct tax awareness, training and facilitation programs to make tax collection effective.According to them, timely awareness and regular monitoring would help increase the revenue of the state and control the tendency of tax evasion. 

(Nepal News Bank)