Auditor General: MVR 22 Billion in Tax Revenue Uncollected; Govt Debt to Companies a Key Factor

Auditor General Hussain Niazi has revealed that approximately MVR 22 billion in tax revenue remains uncollected, attributing the rise in unpaid taxes partly to the government's failure to settle its debts to companies. Speaking at a Budget Study Committee meeting on Tuesday, Niazi stated that the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has identified outstanding payments owed to firms contracted for government projects as a contributing factor. He noted that as of the end of September, unpaid bills within the state's public accounting system total around MVR 7 billion, and the proposed budget for next year lacks a mechanism to clear these arrears. Niazi urged the Ministry of Finance to find a solution to address the outstanding payments.