Increase in taxes and duties on cigarettes and
liquor:
Tax revision to net Rs. 3 billion
The Government has projected an additional
revenue of Rs.3 billion to the coffers through the increase of taxes
and duties on cigarettes and liquor announced yesterday, the Finance
Ministry said. According to the revision, the tax for a litre of
imported beer has been increased by Rs. 50 and for local beer by Rs.
5. Taxes for hard liquor have been increased by Rs. 60 for a litre.
All brands of cigarettes will cost one rupee more per cigarette.
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ETA targets Rs. 2,000m in visa fees
The Immigration and Emigration Department has
set a targeted income of Rs. 2,000 million from visa fees under the
Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) scheme. The Controller General of
the Department Chulananda Perera said that the Government has earned
a record income of Rs. 600 million from January 1, the day the ETA
was launched until the third week of March.
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More raids during festive season:
CAA gets tough with errant traders
The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has been
directed to increase the number of raids against errant traders
during the festive season, said Cooperatives and Internal Trade
Minister Johnston Fernando. Traders should sell essential food items
at controlled prices, he said. Adequate stocks of essential food
items have been supplied to Lanka Sathosa and Coop Cities during the
recent weeks.
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Opposition fishing in troubled waters all the time
Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister
Dullas Alahapperuma said that the problem with Sri Lanka’s
Opposition is that it always attempts to fish in troubled waters.
Explaining the Opposition’s duty by the country in the context of
the UNHRC’s decision, the Minister said that in an issue of national
importance, the Opposition should stand by the Government
irrespective of political differences.
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Special traffic scheme for Sinhala and Tamil New Year
A special traffic scheme will come into effect
in the main cities next week on account of the forthcoming Sinhala
and Tamil New Year. Police will enforce road safety rules strictly
to minimise the number of fatal road accidents during the festive
season as a result of drunk driving, Police Media Spokesman SP Ajith
Rohana told the Sunday Observer.
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