According to the Department of Commerce and Supply Management (DoCSM), which very recently published a report compiling its findings from daily market inspection carried out in the first quarter of this fiscal year, 126 firms of 544 business firms monitored did not have the PAN certificate. [break]
"The monitoring team found many firms operating without registering for Value Added Tax (VAT) or PAN. Surprisingly, many of them did not even know that it is mandatory to register businesses for VAT and PAN," said Shankar Prasad Paudel, director of DoCSM.
Paudel said that though introduction of e-PAN has made it easier for the people to register their businesses, many people are unaware of this facility. Even a significant chunk of businessmen who are aware of the facility have not been using the service, saying they do not have internet access.
DoCSM had monitored 544 business firms in the first quarter inside the valley and 148 business firms outside the valley.
Similalrly, the monitoring team on Thursday and Friday found many shops at New Baneswor, Shankhamul, Golfutar and Mahankal VDC operating without PAN certificate.
"Of the four shops monitored in the Baneswor area, two shops did not have the PAN certificate, while those who had registered with PAN did not have the PAN bill," said Tara Prasad Joshi, section officer and coordinator of the monitoring team for the day.
Similarly, of the four shops monitored in Golfutar and Mahankal VDC two did not have the PAN certificate while the other two did not have the PAN bill.
Joshi said the monitoring team has suggested those without PAN certificate to register for PAN as soon as possible and submit the proof at the department and those without PAN bill to submit a copy of the bill to the department within seven days.
"We also suggested the shopkeepers to keep edible and non-edible items separately," said Joshi.
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