LAHORE: Reforms in tax system have helped Punjab increase its revenue collection by 23 percent during the last five months of the current fiscal year.
This was stated by Provincial Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, while presiding over the quarterly meeting of Fiscal Monitoring Committee. Planning and Development Minister Nadim Kamran, finance secretary, officers of health, irrigation, transport, food, labour, women development, population and other departments concerned also attended the meeting.
The meeting was aimed at to review the balance between income and expenditures of the revenue collected under the targets of current financial year’s budget, estimates of future expenditures and preparation of completion reports of the budget by the Finance Department.
The provincial minister also took detailed briefing from the officers of all departments concerned about the utilisation of released budget and assured them further financial assistance for timely completion of development projects. She also reviewed the progress and expenditure incurred on ongoing projects.
The minister said that a regular tax policy unit under Finance Department will evolve effective planning for revenue mobilisation and fix target of receipts of next financial year besides ensure enforcement of system of online receipts through other banks instead of limiting to only National Bank.
Ayesha said that under reforms plan in Excise & Taxation Department, third party audit of the record of urban property has been completed in six districts.
The minister was briefed about the debit management unit activated in Finance Department under reforms agenda. She was informed that two-way system of communication is being evolved for the provision of services to taxpayers and public-private dialogues so that an environment of confidence could be created among the people and tax collecting agencies.
