LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht has said that the Punjab government will provide health cards to all citizens at a cost of Rs 50 billion in the next fiscal year.
He disclosed this while addressing a press conference here on Saturday; he was accompanied by Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Punjab Finance Secretary Abdullah Sumbal.
The Minister told the media that the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) will collect Rs 140 billion in the current financial year. He further said that Punjab’s current account is surplus for the last five months “despite tax exemptions on more than 25 services. In the first six months of the current fiscal year, the current account registered 42 percent increase against corresponding period”. He averred that they were expecting 80 percent shortfall under the head of the stamp duties due to exemption, but on the contrary it registered a 50 percent increase in the first six months of the ongoing fiscal year.
Talking about creating fiscal space, he said that as a part of the austerity drive they had rejected recommendations for supplementary grants worth Rs 37 billion. “Moreover, recovery of dues of Rs 23 billion from the federal government was ensured,” he added.
He told the media that the current budget is based on realistic estimates and not on unrealistic expectations. He was optimistic of utilising 90 percent of the development budget by the end of the current fiscal year.
According to him, to safeguard the financial security of a common man, it was necessary to keep the wheel of the economy running and hence he gave top priority to businesses over taxes. To improve tax collections in the province and restore public confidence in government departments, his ministry took a number of initiatives. To guide taxpayers, the PRA organised workshops. Moreover, the finance department launched a mobile application, e-Pay Punjab, which played a positive role in increasing the tax collections. Apart from paying tax on 18 services, vehicle challans can also be paid through the mobile application. Moreover, in order to increase tax collection in the future, the expansion of the tax net will be ensured.
“For increasing agricultural production and resolving farmers’ problems, modern research and technology will be adopted. In this regard, we are simplifying the payment subsidies to farmers through ‘Kissan Dost Credit Cards’ after consolidating all the subsidies given in the agricultural sector,” he said.
The Minister denied that the Punjab government has stopped free internet package to students and journalists; “provision of the internet for research and information purposes is a public project, which will continue in future as well”.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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