8-month Punjab budget in October, says minister

LAHORE: The Punjab government will present eight-month budget for the ongoing fiscal year in the mid of October while the finance department has been directed to prepare the budget, besides calling the resource mobilisation committee meetings and taking the all stakeholders on board before making important financial decisions.

This was disclosed by the Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht chairing the maiden meeting of Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) here on Thursday. The minister said that aggressive approach towards the taxpayers would be discouraged while progressive approach would be adopted for the promotion of tax culture in the province.

The official of PRA, including Chairman Dr Raheel Siddiqui, member operation Javed Ahmed, member legal Kamran Ahmed, member policy Zainul Abdain, IT director Salman Zafar and officials of finance department attended the meeting.

The minister said that accountability system would also be introduced in taxation system while broadening of tax base would be continued besides controlling the tax rate. He appreciated the PRA in revenue collection and automation of the taxation system with small team of experts and suggested to keep expanding with same pace. He believed that drone survey system will improve the PRA working.

On the issues faced by the PRA regarding human resource and revenue generation from telecommunication sector, the minister said that issues would be resolved after getting legal opinion on it.

Earlier, Dr Raheel Siddiqui briefed the minister about the issues faced by the PRA related with input adjustment with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Supreme Court decision on tax suspension from telecommunication services and others which are affecting the revenue collection targets.

The minister appreciated the RIMS and other initiative of the Punjab Revenue Authority, besides suggesting effectively using social media to sensitise the public about taxation.He instructed the PRA to include the tax education information to elite school curriculum too likewise Punjab textbook. He assured of taking up the FBR related issues with federal finance minister.