The report from the Cabinet Sub-Committee appointed to investigate and recommend effective utilization of the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) was presented to President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently.

Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policy, Ranil Wickremesinghe issued Cabinet Memorandum No. 24/0696/604/079 on ‘Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) – Obtaining Maintenance Services’ dated April 8, 2024. 

This Cabinet Sub-Committee to investigate and recommend effective utilization of the RAMIS system was appointed following the Cabinet’s decision. The sub-committee, chaired by Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera, included Ministers Tiran Alles and Nalin Fernando as members.

The report, prepared with seven main recommendations, underscores the importance and urgency of effectively utilizing the Income Administration Management Information System.

The key recommendations of the report are as follows;

• Initiate the Expression of Interest (EOI) process to identify suitable partner(s) for managing the application and infrastructure of the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS).
• Promptly prepare and implement a comprehensive takeover plan before the expiry of the current maintenance contract with Singapore Corporation Enterprises (SCE).
• Following the introduction of Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017, prioritize clearing the system backlog from the assessment year 2019/2020 onwards and report its monthly progress to the Council of Ministers on a quarterly basis.
• Use the National Identity Card (or a future alternative introduced for this purpose) exclusively for identifying individuals for tax collection purposes.
• Integrate the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) with a Connected Government Framework that links various government institutions.
• Simplify the tax revenue collection process by developing a user-friendly portal with enhanced user experience (UX) improvements and streamlined online communication.
• Prioritize the amendment of laws and regulations to implement the tax policy changes recommended in this report. (Newswire)

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The plan to take over the existing RAMIS system by the Inland Revenue Department from the Singapore company in charge was taken up for discussion by the Parliamentary Committee on Ways and Means. 

This was discussed when the Committee on Ways and Means met in Parliament recently under the chairmanship of MP Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The Committee recently visited the Inland Revenue Department and discussed several issues including the RAMIS system. Accordingly, the Committee met to inquire further into the matter. The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) was also called before the Committee for the same.

Thus, according to the agreement by the Singapore company dealing with the RAMIS system, the Inland Revenue Department should take over full responsibility for the RAMIS system from January 2024.

According to a Parliament statement, it was disclosed that the internal capacity including the human resources required for this has not been developed in the department. In such context, MP Patali Champika Ranawaka recommended that the Inland Revenue Department submit a report in this regard. He also stated that the report should include a structured proposal for updating the system to adopt the RAMIS system.

It was also discussed that the RAMIS system, which was introduced 8 years ago, is still not fully operational and the Committee expressed their displeasure in this regard.

Another integrated information system to be built by merging 13 government institutions was also discussed at the Committee meeting. Several rounds of discussions were held with 13 concerned institutions in this regard and it was suggested that all these institutions should use the National Identity Number as a common code in their information systems.

State Ministers Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Shasheendra Rajapaksa, Anuradha Jayaratne, MPs Vasudeva Nanayakkara, (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Ashok Abeysinghe, W. D. J. Seneviratne, Ishaq Rahman, and Wasantha Yapabandara were present at the Committee meeting. (NewsWire)

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