Khanh Hoa Tax Department: Intensive Reforms in Administrative Procedures

Placing businesses and taxpayers at the heart of service, the tax sector of Khanh Hoa province has reformed administrative procedures from depth to bring satisfaction to businesses and taxpayers over the past time.

Building trust among taxpayers

Mr. Pham Hoai Trung, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Tax Department, said, “The department has launched an emulation movement for all employees; and used the outcome and effectiveness of administrative procedure reform as one important performance assessment criteria. Besides, the department’s communication and support for taxpayers has gradually raised their satisfaction, deepened the relationship, built trust among taxpayers in the tax authority, and supported taxpayers to perform their tax obligations.”

In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic which broke out in late 2019 adversely impacted the economy and tourism-based localities like Khanh Hoa province were hardest hit. In that context, the Khanh Hoa Tax Department followed governmental policies like Resolution 01/NQ-CP and Resolution 02/NQ-CP to provide maximum support for businesses and taxpayers. Hence, in the past year, the budget revenue reached VND11,708 billion, equal to just 73.3% of the full-year estimation and 74.5% of the value in the same period of 2019.

Mr. Trung expressed, "We have had three pieces of valuable experience drawn from difficulties and successes". Specifically, the department actively researched and flexibly applied Party and State policies and laws to figure out right, practical directions. We appreciated and promoted the tradition of solidarity, preserved and constantly enhanced the internal strength of the tax sector; and strived to build consensus from all levels of sectors and taxpayers to create synergy. We appreciated the human resource factor by regularly carrying out political and ideological education to strengthen self-discipline, exemplary conduct, dynamism and creativity of all employees, and especially leaders, in the execution of tasks.”

Endeavor for big goals

According to Mr. Trung, tourism and service are key economic sectors of Khanh Hoa province, but taxes from tourism and service companies are showing signs of slowdown due to adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the enforcement of the Law on Prevention of Tobacco Harms and the Law on Prevention of Harms of Alcohol.

Faced with the above difficulties, the tax sector will analyze and direct tax revenue sources, based on quarterly and annual estimations, to tax offices. At the same time, the sector closely followed weekly and monthly performances to direct and operate in a timely manner; continued to implement effective measures, solutions and initiatives to increase incomes for the State coffers in various fields; completed and exceeded the annual budget revenue estimate; and strived to be an exemplary Party cell in the tax sector.

At the Party Congress for the 2021-2025 term, the department determined to focus on tax inspection, tax declaration, electronic tax payment, electronic tax refund and electronic invoices; review tax administration for enterprises and business households to take appropriate management measures for each object. The department will closely cooperate with relevant agencies to collect information for tax administration; directly hold dialogues with large tax debtors to press settlement of overdue tax; carry out government-announced urgent measures to deal with business difficulties and facilitate enterprises to pay tax debts, speed up public investment disbursement and ensure social security to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic; implement directions of the Provincial People's Committee and the General Department of Taxation on supports for enterprises, business households and individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; and define the responsibility of the tax sector in improving the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) in 2021 and the 2021-2025 period.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum