The Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) on Wednesday hailed the Punjab government for presenting a people- and business-friendly budget. In a statement issued here, the MCCI President, Anis Ahmed, and Senior Vice President, Brigadier Ata ullah Khan, said that the drastic cut in non-productive expenditures would help strengthen the financial position of the province.
They said that bar on government functions in hotels would definitely help save a lot of money that would be spent on the welfare of masses. The MCCI chief said that credit for presenting a tax-free budget in a very difficult situation goes to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and provincial Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, for which they deserve appreciation of the entire business community.
They said that Punjab government's focus on education, health and agriculture sectors proves that Shahbaz wants to promote education at every cost. Anis said that the proposal to continue with 'sasti roti' scheme, construction of farm-to-market roads, and increase in funds for green tractor scheme would help the government to tackle poverty in a win-win manner.
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry also appreciated the proposal to establish provincial Board of Revenue on the lines of Federal Board of Revenue to simplify and sort out taxation related issues being faced by the business community.
The MCCI office-bearers said that the proposed provincial Board of Revenue would help bring efficiency in the working of government departments, on the one hand, and would be weeding out the menace of corruption, on the other, as at the moment a number of government departments are dealing with taxation issues. They said that allocation of huge funds to improve deteriorating law and order situation in the province would create conducive business atmosphere in the province.