KP increases professional tax

The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Monday decided to increase professional tax from Rs 0.1 million to Rs 0.5 million and making of categories to implement on different people. The decision was taken in a meeting of the provincial cabinet met here in the Cabinet Room of the Civil Secretary Monday with Chief Minister Pervez Khattak in the chair.
Briefing media persons regarding decisions taken by KP cabinet, Provincial Minister for Public Health Engineering (PHE), Shah Farman said that Budget Strategy Paper for financial year 2016-17 has also been approved by the cabinet. The purpose of the budget strategy paper is to inform all concerned departments regarding the position of funds, so they could prepare their budgets on the basis of their priorities. He informed that the cabinet approved the amendment in clauses 147, 148 of the Limitation Act 1908 that was declared unconstitutional by Islamic Ideology Council.
The cabinet waived off the remaining instalments of 'Bacha Khan Khpal Rozgar Scheme', 'Pakhtunkhwa Hunermand Rozgar Scheme' and 'Traditional Hunermand Rozgar Scheme' those beneficiaries who died after obtaining the loans. However, the cabinet directed that all data of the scheme should be provided to Planning and Development Department. The cabinet was told that there were only two names in the list.
The cabinet in line with the decision of Inter Provincial Co-ordination Committee called by Sindh government also approved upper limit of professional tax up to Rs 500,000. The cabinet was informed that professional tax was increased last time in 1999 from Rs 50,000 to 100,000. No such increase was made in the said tax during last 15 years. Professional tax is a provincial subject therefore after its approval by the parliament it will also be approved by the provincial assembly. The KP Government would increase the professional tax after getting its approval by the provincial legislature.
About the usage of 10 percent royalty on oil and gas generating in the districts, the cabinet was told that a task force in this connection was constituted on the advice of Advisor to CM on Jail, Malik Qasim Khattak which proposed certain changes in the said policy of the KP government to this effect.
The task force headed by Senior Member Board of Revenue and comprises Secretary Finance and Secretary Energy and Power consulted the respective member of provincial assembly and Deputy Commissioners of concerned districts in order to bring improvement in the policy. The task force, the minister told had recommended that 50% of the income obtained from oil and gas should be spent in the respective tehsil of the district while the remaining 50% will spend in other tehsils of respective district.
The cabinet agreed in principles with the recommendation of the task force in this regards. Its merit a mention here that Chief Minister had announced 10% of royalty on gas and electricity will be spend in the respective district. The cabinet also approved the report of the sub-committee on strengthening of Public Service Commission. The cabinet in March 2015 had formed a committee under chairmanship of Senior Minister Local Government to review the process of appointments in the government department in the consultation of the commission.
The committee members included Provincial Ministers Shahram Khan Tarakai, Mushtaq Ghani, Muzaffar Said Advocate and Secretary Establishment. The cabinet committee in its proposed recommendations had recommended to handover back the appointment of Junior Clerk to the provincial government that was previously upgraded from BPS-7 to BPS-11 and given to Public Service Commission. The minister informed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission Ordinance 1978 will be amended to this effect.
The cabinet agreed to maintain the same search committee formed in October 2011 for the appointment of Chairman Public Service Commission headed by Chief Secretary with its members included Additional Chief Secretary and Vice Chancellor University of Peshawar and the same committee will also induct the members for Public Service Commission. However, chairman PSC will be part of the selection committee made for the appointments of members of PSC.
The cabinet also recommended the up-gradation of the post of Secretary Public Service Commission to BPS-20 along with two posts of Director Research and Director IT in BPS-19. However, the cabinet suggested granting package to Director IT PSC instead of grade. The cabinet further suggested that vice chancellors and heads of health institutions would be made by the same search committee.
The cabinet also approved amendment in Galliat Development Authority (GDA) Act 1996 in order to make these authorities autonomous, development of Galliat areas and providing opportunities to private sectors to play their role in the development of Galliat. The head office of GDA would be Abbottabad with two offices set up for administrative purpose in Galliat area. The authority would be comprised of 11 members including 7 from the private sector and four from the government side. Chairman of the GDA would be from private sector to be elected through voting for three years. The post of chairman GDA would be filled in a month time after its incumbent chairman resign. No salary would be paid to any of the private member of the authority. The people with good reputations having sound knowledge of environment, forestry, community development, business, tourism and archaeology would be preferred for the post of Chairman Galliat Development Authority.