By the year 2010, 50 percent of the divisible pool would be allocated for the provinces. This was stated by Federal Inter-Provincial Co-ordination Minister Salim Saifullah Khan here on Saturday evening. He was talking to media persons after addressing the members of the English Speaking Union of Pakistan (ESUP).
The minister said that as far as the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award is concerned if provinces and the federation do not come up with a formula, then there is a provision in the constitution that the President can present an interim award which has been done.
Salim Saifullah Khan said it is the demand of the provinces that 50 percent of the divisible pool which consist of tax collection, should go to the provinces, adding in the current fiscal year the percentage of this allocation was 47 percent which would increase to 50 percent by the year 2010.
"This is a good move", he remarked, saying that provinces should be strengthened as far as possible. The minister pointed out that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has been formed and its first meeting has been convened, saying the prime minister intends to convene the meetings of this body quite frequently for presenting the issue raised by the provinces.
Salim said the meeting of the Inter-Provincial Co-ordination Committee (IPCC) would also be convened this month. He said it is his desire to convene the meeting of IPCC almost every month to address the problems of the provinces.
Salim was optimistic that the CCI and the IPCC would remove the misunderstandings between the provinces and resolve the problems amicably.
He was happy that the differences between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Muslim League - the coalition partner in Sindh - have been resolved.