Annual Report 2008 - Ministry of Finance and Planning

4. Reform Initiatives
189
Table 4.2
FMRP Capacity Development- (Local) upto 2008
Specially designed programs were conducted with the assistance of the British Council on Effective Speech and Interpersonal
Skills for the benefit of around 1500 officers of the Inland Revenue Department. The targeted groups of the program were
Deputy Commissioners, Assessors and Tax Officers.
A program on “Positive Tomorrow’ was organized for around 450 officials of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Customs
Department and Excise Department. The objective of the program was to create awareness on how to be more productive
and work with an entrepreneur mindset.
Source; FMRP Project Office
Table 4.3
FMRP Capacity Development- (Foreign) upto 2008
140 officers of the Ministry of Finance and Planning attended a program on ‘Contemporary Fiscal Challenges in Transition
Economies; Reforming the Fiscal Scenario in Sri Lanka” at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, India
70 officers of the Ministry of Finance and Planning attended a program on ‘Accounting and Financial Management in Government:
The best global practices and the agenda for reforms in Sri Lanka’ at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, India
30 officers of the Department of Census and Statistics attended a program on ‘Significance and Role of Forecasts in Planning
and Development’ at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, India
250 officers of the Inland Revenue Department attended a program on ‘Investigation, Assessment and International Taxation’
at the National Academy of Direct Taxes, Nagpur, India.
94 officers of the Excise Department attended a program on’ Excellence Management for the Officials of the Excise
Department’ at the Annamalai University , India
4 officers of the Ministry of Finance and Planning attended an experience sharing program at the Association of Government
Accounting Organization of South Asia, India
Source; FMRP Project Office
Table 4.4
Other Initiatives Facilitated by the FMRP - upto 2008
Code of Conduct and Ethics of the Ministry of Finance and Planning was translated in to Tamil, to make the code available
userfriendly to all highlighting general principles of conduct and ethics applicable to public servents.
Introducing Information Technology improvements is one of the key objectives of the Project. After making an expert
assessment, the introduction of a comprehensive Revenue Administration Management IT System to the IRD was
commenced with the first phase of this component being the introduction of a LAN/WAN. An International Competitive
Bidding Process was followed in calling for Bids and both Technical and Financial Bid evaluations are already completed.
The contract award is due to be made.
Around 3,000 out of a total of 3,300 persons from the Inland Revenue Department, Customs Department and Excise
Department were given basic computer training.
Two fully equipped IT labs were set up in the IRD with 35 computers each to facilitate computer training for employees of the IRD.
The metropolitan branch of Inland Revenue was opened at Jawatte Road with modern IT and other facilities for the
convenience of tax payers.
33 Computers and other office equipment along with software, anti-virus protection etc. were provided to the newly
established departments in the MOFP being the Legal Affairs Department , Management Audit Department and the Project
Management Bureau and also to the Finance Commission.
‘Randora’ Auditorium of the Ministry of Finance and Planning a modern state of art auditorium with modern audio and
video conferencing facilities.
Source; FMRP Project Office
Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka
Annual Report 2008