There are no government plans to hike income and sales tax or the customs fees for the coming year, Jordan's Finance Minister Mohammad Abu Hammur said. "In stead, the government aims at developing and activating tax management to prevent tax evasion," Abu Hammur noted during a
press conference at the conclusion of a World Bank team's visit to Jordan.
"We are considering a new plan to encounter the significant rise in world oil prices, in a way that does not exhaust the national economy, the citizen or the treasury," the
Minister said, according to Petra news agency. The plan will make sure that citizens do not feel the high cost of oil bill all at one time, rather it will be made
gradually and over a period of five years.
The government, according to him, pays JD330 million for subsidized oil price when the barrel price is $42 dollars but in case of any rise the subsidy will go up, thus increasing the burden on the treasury, Abu Hammur commented.
According to him, economic growth rate for this year is inclined to hit 6 per cent and as the population growth rate is about 2.8 per cent then the real economic growth rate that will reflect on the citizen's life will be
4.2 per cent, Abu Hammur told reporters. (menareport.com)
