Thanks to government laxity, they are evading huge amount of revenue by paying just local tax to the concerned village development committees (VDCs). Worse still, most of them are not even registered with the government.[break]
Hotels and restaurants operators say they are not paying tax because the government is not paying attention for the development of rural areas.
As per the existing provision, hotels and restaurants in the area need to register with Annapurna Area Conservation Project (ACAP), Small and Cottage Industry Office, VAT Office and Tourism Office.
“We won´t pay any tax unless the government becomes serious for the development of rural areas because not a single government agency has supported us in infrastructure and other development activities,” Him Bahadur Gurung, president of Tourism Management Sub-committee of Chhomrong. Gurung added that local people are in dire need of facilities like drinking water, health, education and roads.
Som Gurung, secretary of Sanctuary Tourism Entrepreneurs Association, said the government´s indifference toward development of rural areas is discouraging local entrepreneurs.
“The government must increase its presence in rural areas if it wants to bring local businesses under the tax net,” he added.
Lal Prasad Gurung, director of ACAP, said the government´s failure of bringing local businesses under tax net has resulted in the loss of huge amount of revenue every year.
Krishna Bahadur Basnet, chief tax officer at Kaski Inland Revenue Office, said efforts were underway to bring tourism enterprises along the Annapurna trekking route under the tax net. “We are seeking details of those enterprises through the concerned VDCs,” he added.
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