LAHORE: The Punjab government will present an eight-month budget for the ongoing fiscal year in October. Instructions, in this regard, have been issued to the finance department, besides summoning resource mobilisation committee meetings and taking all stakeholders on board.
This was stated by Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht while chairing the maiden meeting of Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) here on Thursday.
He said that an aggressive approach towards taxpayers would be discouraged while progressive approach would be adopted for the promotion of tax culture in the province. The minister also said that an accountability system would also be introduced for taxation while broadening of the tax base would be continued.
Hashim appreciated PRA over its revenue collection and automation of the taxation system with a small team of experts and suggested to keep expanding at the same pace. He believed that drone survey system would improve the working of PRA.
On the issues faced by the PRA regarding human resource and revenue generation from the telecommunication sector, the minister said that issues would be resolved after seeking a legal opinion.
He also appreciated RIMS and other initiatives of PRA, besides suggesting to effectively use social media to sensitise public about taxation.
The minister, at the occasion, also instructed PRA to include tax education information to elite school curriculum like Punjab textbook and assured taking up Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) related issues with the federal finance minister.
PRA officials, including Chairman Dr Raheel Siddique, Operations member Javed Ahmed, Legal member Kamran Ahmed, Policy member Zainulabbdain and IT Director Salman Zafar besides officials of the finance department attended the meeting.
