KP Assembly approves six demands for grant amid debate on budget

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Wednesday approved six demands for grant of more than Rs7.71 billion as the House continued debate on the budget for the third day.

In response to the opposition members questions, Minister for Finance Taimur Salim Jhagra assured equal funding to the opposition constituencies and said the policy regarding fund release could be further improved for which work was underway.

Mehmood Khan Bhittani of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Bahadur Khan, Shagufta Malik and Samar Bilour of the Awami National Party (ANP) complained delay in fund release by the Finance Department.

He said women Member Provincial Assembly (MPAs) suggestions about development schemes would be accommodated.

Earlier, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Sultan Muhammad Khan said action had been taken against the Tehkal police for violence against a citizen whose picture went viral on social media.

The minister said the cops involved in the incident had been suspended and action against the SHO also ordered. Black sheep in police would not be tolerated and such elements would be taken to task, he assured the House.

In response to the questions by Khushdil Khan of the ANP, finance minister said revenue shortfall was not because of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA) but because of less transfers from the federal government due to the corona pandemic and NHP shortfall. He said the KPRA had collected Rs17 billion this year as compared to Rs10 billion of the previous year, which showed an increase of 70 percent and was highest increase by any revenue authority in Pakistan.

To a query by Inayatullah Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami about Public Finance Management Act, the finance minister said that draft law has been prepared in light of the federal and other provinces laws and KP will be the first province to bring new PFM law and strengthen system to ensure better scrutiny of the budget.

Regarding Annual Development Programme (ADP), the minister said though spending in July-August were less but in January 2019 Rs5.9 billion and January 2020 Rs 12.7 billion were spent, Rs 3-2 billion was spent in February 2019 and Rs8.8 billion in February 2020. Covid- 19 affected the spending in April and onwards.

“We will assure that releases are made ideally by third-quarter and whatever reduction is there the House will be informed,” he added.