First Meeting of 9th NFC Award

Two days meeting for consultation on the recommendations of working groups of 9th National Finance Commission Award started at Civil Secretariat today. Provincial Minister for Finance Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha is leading the delegation from Punjab. Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Finance Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muzaffar Said, Finance Secretaries of the four provinces, NFC members, and representatives of Federal Government participated in the meeting. Punjab Finance Minister Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha formally inaugurated the session. She informed that Federal Government, in the previous meeting of 9th NFC Award last year, distributed the provinces into four working groups and assigned them responsibilities of preparing reports on resource mobilization at federal and provincial levels, devolved versus integrated tax structure, efficiency and expenditure analysis at federal and provincial level and rationalization of subsidy and grants. She said that provinces have prepared their reports in this regard.

Sindh and Punjab presented their reports in today’s session. Additional Secretary Budget Saifullah Dogar presented report on resource mobilization on behalf of Punjab which was supported by members of all groups. Later Sindh presented report on tax structure on provincial level. Addressing the meeting, Ayesha Ghaus Pasha said that NFC Award is lifeline for provinces. She said that consensus recommendation will be made a part of the report while other proposals will also be attached with the report so that views of all stakeholders could reach the Federal Government. He said that targets of income in the report of Punjab are realistic. Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah said that NFC Award is a constitutional responsibility. He said that recommendation should be given final shape as early as possible. Finance Minister KP Muzaffar Said welcomed consultative meeting by Punjab and stressed the need for early progress with regard to NFC award. 

Monday, September 5, 2016