Punjab Finance Minister’s Meeting with Delegation Led by Australian High Commissioner

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Provincial Minister for Finance Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha has said that incentives are being provided to investors for increasing resources in the province and for this purpose, power plants are being set up with the participation of private sector for overcoming energy crisis at provincial level. She said that a number of steps like Anti-Terrorism Force and Safe City Project have been taken for improving law and order situation aimed that achieving the confidence of foreign investors. That is why, investors from all over the world including Turkey, China, England and Germany are coming to Pakistan, she added. She said that in order to solve the problems regarding registration of business, acquiring land and payment of revenues, all the system is being computerized. Awareness campaigns are being launched for creating awareness among the people about the importance of funds received in the shape of revenues for providing services at public level for increasing rate off tax recoveries. Direct contract between taxpayers and receivers is being promoted.

She expressed these views during meeting with a delegation led by Australian High Commissioner Ms. Margaret Adamson at Civil Secretariat today. Additional Secretary Finance Saifullah Dogar, Chairman Punjab Revenue Authority Raheel Ahmed Siddique. Member Board of Revenue Tariq Pervaiz, Deputy Secretary Resources Masood Nauman and Section Officer Muhammad Akmal were present on the occasion. The Minister informed Margaret Adamson that World Bank, DFID and GIZ are providing special assistance to Finance Department with regard to reforms in tax and budget policy. She said that as a result of reforms introduced in tax policy, rate of recoveries has increased by 45 percent while rate of development expenditure has been improved to 31 percent. She informed that in order to enhance the confidence of taxpayers in the government, Finance Department has published a simple and easy booklet citizen budget along with budget draft this year in which it has been made clear where the money received from the people under the head of tax is being spent, priorities of the government and their planning. Secretary Finance Saifullah Dogar during a briefing informed the delegation that Finance Department has set up a tax unit for reforms in tax system which is planning for revenue increase. Chairman PRA appraised the delegation of success of Restaurant Invoice Monitoring System and Amanat Scheme while Member Board of Revenue told about positive results of E-stamping and Land Record Management System. Members of Australian Delegation termed the achievements of Punjab has remarkable and said that they will work with Punjab for improving tax recovery system in both the countries as Punjab has achieved huge success in a very short period in this field. They thanked provincial minister for detailed briefing and assured their cooperation in future.