Business

Supporting the Increase in Withholding Tax: A Step Toward Strengthening Sri Lanka’s Tax System

Published

12 months ago

2024/12/29

By Sanjeewa Jayaweera

The government’s decision to increase the withholding tax (WHT) rate to 10%, effective 1 April 2025, deserves commendation. Too often, political leaders have avoided necessary but unpopular decisions, opting to appease the electorate. This has led to various issues, from economic stagnation to the erosion of minority and religious rights. The proposed tax increase, however, marks a significant step in addressing a pressing concern: Sri Lanka’s persistent tax evasion problem.

Tax evasion in Sri Lanka is alarmingly high. While some degree of evasion is common in many countries, effective tax compliance is largely achieved through a comprehensive tax policy and an efficient tax administration. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka has fallen short in both these areas. Since the early 1990s, successive governments have either reduced or eliminated key taxes, granted widespread exemptions, and failed to adequately develop the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) in terms of manpower and technology.

Rather than addressing these systemic issues, governments have relied on increasing indirect taxes. The contribution of direct taxes to overall revenue has fallen to a mere 20%. Indirect taxes, such as Value Added Tax (VAT), are largely hidden from the consumer, as the IRD has mandated that supplier invoices do not show VAT charged. This has created a society that is not accustomed to paying direct taxes. Additionally, the acceptance of corruption as a “necessary evil” has contributed to the perception that tax evasion is acceptable.

Consequently, the imposition of new taxes, rate increases, and threshold reductions often generates confusion and frustration among the public. Opposition parties frequently exploit these sentiments to mislead the electorate, complicating the government’s efforts. To counter this, the government must invest in educating the public about taxes, the need for tax revenue, and the civic duty of tax compliance. This is a long-term effort that, if successful, could lead to improved tax revenues and higher compliance rates.

Policymakers should consider insights from an OECD report published in 2021, which analyzed taxpayer education initiatives in 59 developed and developing countries. The report revealed that over 80% of such initiatives improved tax morale—the intrinsic motivation to pay taxes. The findings underscore the importance of tax literacy in shaping a culture where citizens understand how their tax contributions affect their daily lives.

The report suggests a step-by-step approach for designing and implementing taxpayer education initiatives customized to local contexts. Three key strategies for promoting tax compliance emerged:

· Teaching tax: Engaging all audiences, including youth, adults, and entrepreneurs, through long-term educational programs.

· Communicating tax

: Raising awareness through campaigns, tax fairs, TV shows, and behavioural economics-based messaging.

· Supporting compliance

: Providing practical assistance, particularly for vulnerable taxpayers, to navigate modern e-administration tools and fulfill reporting requirements.

Verité Research, an independent think tank, has long advocated increasing the WHT rate on interest income from 5% to 10%. Their estimate suggests that this increase could generate an additional Rs. 90 billion in revenue for the state. Despite this, the government of Ranil Wickremesinghe hesitated to act, even though it had already raised VAT to 18% and introduced progressive income tax rates as high as 36% and reduced the monthly tax-free threshold to Rs. 100,000.

Importantly, WHT on interest income is not an additional tax; it is a prepayment of taxes collected by the payer on behalf of the government, similar to the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system used for salaried employees. The challenge, however, lies in the fact that individuals often earn interest from multiple banks, unlike salary income, which typically comes from a single employer. As a result, financial institutions cannot easily determine whether an individual’s total income surpasses the annual tax-free threshold of Rs. 1,200,000 (or Rs. 1,800,000 starting April 2025).

To address this, the IRD should implement a system allowing individuals over 18 to obtain a letter from the IRD confirming that WHT need not be deducted if their total annual income is below the threshold. While this will initially be challenging due to the lack of tax files for many individuals, it is a step that should be supported. Despite its complexities, the government’s decision to increase the WHT rate should be backed.

To illustrate the impact of this change, consider the following examples assuming the person’s total income is derived solely from interest:

Total Income Tax Due:

· Income: Rs. 5,000,000

· Single Person Allowance

: Rs. 1,200,000

· Taxable Income

: Rs. 3,800,000

· Income Tax at Progressive Rates

: Rs. 918,000

· Less WHT Collected at Source

: Rs. 250,000

· Tax Evaded

: Rs. 668,000

With the WHT Rate Increase:

· Income: Rs. 5,000,000

· Single Person Allowance

: Rs. 1,200,000

· Taxable Income

: Rs. 3,800,000

· Income Tax at Progressive Rates

: Rs. 918,000

· Less WHT Collected at Source

: Rs. 500,000

· Tax Evaded

: Rs. 418,000

As illustrated, raising the WHT rate to 10% would generate an additional Rs. 250,000 in tax revenue. I have assumed in my illustration that the recipient of interest income is not tax-compliant and is currently outside the tax net. This demonstrates how the rate increase could significantly reduce tax evasion. The IRD’s ultimate goal should be to recover the Rs. 418,000 currently evaded by taxpayers. By streamlining the reporting systems of financial institutions and integrating them with the RAMIS system, the IRD can take a significant step toward curbing tax evasion and boosting government revenue.

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Business

Cabinet approves establishment of two 50 MW wind power stations in Mullikulum, Mannar region

Published

9 hours ago

2025/12/11

Priyan

Adhering to the broad plan of the Government to reach the objective of accomplishing 70% of the country’s electricity supply from renewable energy sources by the year 2030, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted on 10.02.2025 to invite requests for resolutions from interested developers of the private sector in order to implement the Mullikulum Wind Power – 100 Mega Watts (two (02) wind power stations of
50 Mega Watts each) on the basis of construction, ownership and execution with a monitoring period of 20 years.

Accordingly, requests for proposals have been called to implement the relevant project by adhering to the international competitive bidding methodology, and seven (7) prospective project proposals were submitted.

Evaluating the said proposals, based on the recommendations submitted by the negotiation committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Power to award the contracts of establishing the two (02) 50 Mega Watts Wind
Power Stations to Consortium of Vidullanka PLC & David Pieris Motor Company (Lanka) Limited and WindForce PLC.

Business

UNDP, together with partners, brings together immersive insight into the cruel realities of SGBV

Published

20 hours ago

2025/12/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

UNDP 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence held at the Sri Lanka Foundation.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign observed annually from 25 November to 10 December, beginning on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and concluding on Human Rights Day. The campaign aims to raise awareness and inspire collective action to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

This year, in line with this, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), together with its key partners through ongoing flagship project initiatives, is taking a unique, never-before-seen approach to advocacy. ‘Through Her Eyes,

wef.aoEiska, அவளின் பார்வையில்’ narrates the heart-wrenching journey of ‘Sara’ in her search for justice through multi-medium storytelling that merges stage theatre, film and creative audio production techniques.

‘Through her eyes’ is in line with three UNDP Sri Lanka projects; Enabling Access to Justice for Victim-Survivors of SGBV in Sri Lanka funded by the Government of Canada and implemented together with UNFPA Sri Lanka; the Support to Justice Sector Project (JURE) funded by the European Union in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, and implemented together with UNICEF Sri Lanka; and the Action and Anticipation for The New Agenda for Peace (AAA) supported through UNDP’s Funding Windows with funding from the Governments of Denmark, Luxembourg and the Republic of Korea.

Commenting on the timeliness of such public activations, Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka, stated, “As the country recovers from one of its worst natural disasters in its recent history, the focus on gender equality, inclusion, and structural change is more vital than ever. We all know SGBV leaves a deep scar in survivors, those around them and the society they live in. Yet, do we really know what it is like to live through that experience? In a crisis, how do we address root causes of SGBV that get exacerbated? We wanted to mark this year’s 16 days differently – by creating an experience where we, irrespective of our gender, culture, and all other differences, put ourselves in the shoes of those who live through the pain and hardships, and collectively think through ways in which we can tackle persistent challenges confronted by many. Our advocacy efforts aspire towards a nation and world free from SGBV- to achieve gender equality and empower. ‘Through Her eyes’ is a unique experience that is designed to bring this issue in front of a broad demographic audience, by bringing together stakeholders from across the Government, private sector, development partners, youth and CSOs, as we stand together to end SGBV and support Sri Lanka to build back better.”

Sharing the perspective from the Government of Sri Lanka, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara commented, “Through Her Eyes’ invites us to pause and truly understand the lived realities of survivors. It is a powerful reminder that every survivor who comes forward does so with immense courage. Their pathway to justice must be dignified, safe and free from fear. Ensuring the safety and empowerment of women and girls is not a task that can be achieved in isolation. A holistic approach is vital. Law enforcement, the judiciary, health services, social services, educators, civil society, the private sector and communities must stand together as allies.”

As a key partner, Kiril Iordanov, Head of Cooperation at the High Commission of Canada noted, “Addressing GBV is a shared responsibility. Canada continues to collaborate with partners to design and champion innovative solutions. Our approach is rooted in the belief that promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls has a multiplier effect on development. By placing women and girls at the centre, we contribute to building a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous world.”

The Safe Space of this immersive production also highlights the support and work being carried out by the projects, to support better access for justice for victim-survivors of SGBV, capacity building for relevant public sector institutions, media ethics when reporting SGBV and the promotion of male allyship and bystander intervention as a mechanism to eradicate SGBV in Sri Lanka.

Highlighting the priorities of the European Union, Carmen Moreno, Ambassador of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, commented, “Gender-based violence endures when access to justice is made difficult by fear, stigma or indifference. This exhibition invites us to understand the experience through the eyes of the victim, and it forces us to question—and dismantle—the barriers that allow violence to continue without consequences. Justice systems Justice systems must act with determination in confronting this problem, but they cannot do so in isolation. Real change requires a society that supports women, recognises the realities of gender-based violence, and refuses to look away.”

In light of the current situation of the country, the event also hosted an interactive dialogue on the theme ‘Delivering Economic Independence for Survivors of Sexual and Gender-based Violence during Crises’ on the sidelines of the event. With participation from key individuals, including the Government, development partners, private sector leaders, civil society organisations and youth groups, the dialogue looked at key areas of Gender-responsive and intersectional crisis planning; protection, safety, and justice built into disaster preparedness and humanitarian response; safeguarding shelter design, ensuring access to health and reproductive services, psychosocial support, and safe reporting mechanisms.

The campaign aims to raise awareness and inspire collective action to end all forms of violence against women and girls. It calls on governments, organisations, and individuals to challenge harmful gender norms, support survivors, and demand accountability from perpetrators.

‘Through Her Eyes, wef.aoEiska, அவளின் பார்வையில்’ is open to the public from the 2nd to 7th of December from 10 AM to 7 PM at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

To know more and engage in the immersive experience: https://go.undp.org/through-her-eyes

Business

Outstanding AI & Fintech Governance Leadership Award 2025 for Sopnendu Mohanty

Published

20 hours ago

2025/12/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Asian Digital Finance Forum and Awards Convener and Global Fintech Institute (Singapore) Industry Fellow Rajkumar Kanagasingam (left) presents the award to Sopnendu Mohanty during the GFTN Insights Forum held in conjunction with the Singapore FinTech Festival 2025 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Sopnendu Mohanty, former Chief FinTech Officer of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and current Group CEO of the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), has received the Outstanding AI & Fintech Governance Leadership Award 2025 for his global contribution to responsible fintech advancement, cross-border policy innovation, and AI governance.

While the recognition was announced at the Asian Digital Finance Forum & Awards held at Port City Colombo, the formal handing-over ceremony was held recently in Singapore, during the GFTN Insights Forum that took place in parallel with the Singapore FinTech Festival 2025 at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre.

Presenting the award, Rajkumar Kanagasingam, Convener of the Asian Digital Finance Forum & Awards and Industry Fellow of the Global Fintech Institute (Singapore), lauded Mohanty’s unique global impact.

“Sopnendu has set global benchmarks in innovation-friendly regulation, Kanagasingam said.

“From cross-border payment connectivity to AI ethics and multi-CBDC frameworks, his leadership has not only shaped Singapore’s fintech ecosystem but has helped entire regions transition into the digital economy responsibly.”

He added that Mohanty’s strategic influence continues beyond regulatory leadership.

“His ability to galvanise central banks, policymakers and innovators onto common platforms is rare. What he built in Singapore is now influencing multiple jurisdictions, and that continuity through GFTN is immensely valuable.”

Serving from 2015 to 2025 as MAS’s inaugural Chief FinTech Officer, Mohanty is widely acknowledged for transforming Singapore into one of the most forward-looking and trusted digital finance environments.

Mohanty has also endorsed Sri Lanka’s initiative to shape the Colombo International Financial Centre (CIFC) at Port City Colombo as a South Asian fintech gateway. He was presented with an interim policy blueprint during the DigiEcon Global Investment Summit.

By Ifham Nizam