Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar Sunday said the federal government had broadened tax net with an aim to collect tax from every citizen of the country. The government had announced massive relief for agriculture sector in the fiscal budget 2016-17 which would boost the national economy, he said while talking to a private news channel.
The minister said the government was committed to revive agriculture sector as it would improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. Some 70 per cent population of the country was dependent on this sector, he added. He said the government had decreased the prices of fertiliser from Rs 1,800 to Rs 1,400 with effect from July 1. The prices of DAP fertiliser had also decreased, he added.
He said the provinces had been fixing the prices of wheat and sugarcane and now the federal government wanted to fix their prices with the consensus of provinces. The government had given full attention to the agriculture sector, he added. The minister said he had directed the State Bank to decrease interest on agricultural loans by two per cent. Ishaq Dar said the relief had been provided in this budget in poultry, livestock and dairy sectors.
He said that foreign investors had been showing keen interest to invest in Pakistan. Mega investment had been witnessed in public sector, he added. Dar said there was a dire need to improve microfinance which would create job opportunities. He said the PML-N government had strengthened the national economy due to its prudent policies. It had allocated hefty amount to provide better facilities in education and health sectors. The country was on a path of development and prosperity, he maintained.