POKHARA: The Gandaki provincial government has established a dedicated revenue management office under the Ministry of Economic Affairs to improve internal revenue collection and streamline tax administration. Ministry spokesperson and deputy secretary Gumadevi Sharma stated that the office officially began operations on Monday from a building located within the ministry premises.

The new office is tasked with facilitating the collection and management of revenue streams under provincial jurisdiction, including land registration fees, vehicle taxes, entertainment taxes, advertisement taxes, tourism fees, agricultural income tax, and various service charges and penalties. Furthermore, the office is responsible for managing taxpayer records, controlling revenue leakage, conducting revenue feasibility studies, coordinating with local levels, and assisting in revenue projections.

The government confirmed that the office will not impose additional financial burdens as it is staffed by personnel from the ministry’s revenue management division and the provincial comptroller office. Minister of Economic Affairs Jit Bahadur Sherchan stated that the office’s primary responsibility is to coordinate among various bodies involved in revenue collection across the province. Noting that the provincial government has struggled to meet its revenue collection targets, the minister stated that the office will facilitate bringing all sectors defined by the Financial Act under the tax net.

Sherchan added that the division of labor has been established such that the ministry will handle policy-related tasks, while the new office will focus on implementation. The government expects the establishment of this office to increase the internal revenue of the province.