MIRPUR: AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan has said that the federal government has increased development budget of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to Rs 21 billion from Rs 12 billion.
Talking to media here late Friday, Raja Farooq Haider said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif during his visit to Muzaffarabad on Thursday had in principle accepted a number of AJK government's demands, including forming a high level constitutional reform committee to suggest amendments in the Interim AJK Constitution Act 1974, increasing development and non development budget to overcome financial crisis, declaring AJK part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor, providing financial resources for the construction of 1450 kilometer long roads, construction of Lower Topa Muzaffarabad Expressway, upgradition of Muzaffarabad-Mansehra Road, construction of Shunter Nullah Tunnel under the CPEC and increase of AJK's share in federal taxes.
He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also directed Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for release of Rs 2.20 billion to the AJK on account of its outstanding funds from Kashmir Council.
The PM said a meeting of ERRA had been summoned to start construction work on 692 educational institutions affected by the 2005 earthquake for which AJK needed Rs 2 billion.
He said Excise and Taxation Department and Department of Accountant General were being handed over to the AJK government to increase the revenue of the state.
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