The Ministry of Finance has approved the Taxpayer Encouragement Gift Program Operation Procedure, 2083, to encourage customers to take bills for their purchases and promote digital payments.
New Scheme to Encourage Tax Compliance
The government have launched a new program called “Taxpayer Encouragement Gift Program Operation Procedure, 2083” to develop a habit of taking bills among consumers. This scheme also aims to improve tax compliance and keep real records of business transactions. The Ministry of Finance approved this procedure using the powers given by the Economic Procedures and Financial Accountability Act, 2076.
According to the ministry, the Inland Revenue Department will run this gift program under the approved annual budget. The department can also choose an event organizer to manage the program if needed. Through this program, the government want to encourage people to take bills, promote digital payments, and stop tax evasion.
Who Can Participate in the Gift Program?
Any consumer who buys goods or services for personal use within Nepal for more than Rs 100 at a time can participate. For every eligible purchase or electronic payment, the system will give one gift ticket. Each bill entered in the system can only participate once.
Purchases made through electronic payment from the first day to the last day of every month will automatically be included. If a customer pays by cash or other ways, they must manually enter details like bill number, seller’s PAN, date, total amount, payment method, buyer’s name, and mobile number in the department’s system within the set time. The system will verify details automatically to make the bill eligible.
Invoices Excluded from the Scheme
Some types of bills are not allowed to participate in this scheme. Purchases for business use, bills issued to government offices or public entities, and bills for telephone, internet, electricity, vehicles, transportation, and air tickets are excluded. Also, bills from sellers who do not have a PAN will not be included. A person cannot participate more than once using the same bill or electronic payment.
Prize Amount and Winner Selection
To choose the winners, the department will do a lucky draw on the 1st and 16th of every month using an automated system. In the first phase, transactions from the 16th to the end of previous month will be included. In the second phase, transactions from the 1st to the 15th of the same month will be included.
The program will select one daily winner and one bumper winner every 15 days. High-level officials, representatives, and media persons can be invited during the winner selection. Winners will be informed via SMS and email, and their names will be published on the website and social media of the department.
The daily winner will get a gift worth Rs 1 lakh 33 thousand 334. The fortnightly bumper winner will receive Rs 10 lakh. A 25 percent tax on windfall gains will be deducted from the prize money as per the Income Tax Act, 2058.
How to Claim the Prize
Winners must claim their prize within 15 days of the announcement. They need to submit the original bill, citizenship or official ID card, bank account details, and PAN to the nearest Inland Revenue Office in person or through a representative. The office will check the documents within 10 days and deposit the money directly into the winner’s bank account.
If anyone submits fake or forged documents, action will be taken against them according to the law. If a winner does not claim the prize with necessary documents within 15 days, the prize money will be deposited into the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.
AI Disclaimer: This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. It has been translated with the help of AI. For the best understanding and accurate facts, we recommend reading the original Nepali version.
