PESHAWAR: A preliminary ‘pre-budget’ meeting of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Budget Advisory Board was held in the Conference Room of the provincial Finance Department, chaired by Advisor to Chief Minister on Finance Himayatullah Khan.
It was attended by provincial caretaker minister for Industries and Technical Education Adnan Jalil, officials from all line departments, Regional Coordinator FPCCI Sartaj Ahmad Khan, members of the business community, senior officials of departments concerned and representatives of relevant stakeholders.
The purpose of the meeting was to ask line departments, business community and relevant stakeholders to submit proposals for the Financial Year Budget 2023-24.
Himayatullah Khan speaking on the occasion said that the government will give importance to proposals of the business community, which will be incorporated in the upcoming provincial fiscal budget.
He said caretaker government will try its best to present a pro-poor and business-friendly budget for the next financial year.
Participants earlier in the meeting gave several proposals and asked to make it part of the forthcoming provincial budget.
Sartaj Ahmad said the economic growth rate hasn’t increased in budget for the last several decades because it’s not a priority of our rulers, owing to which, we cannot take advantage of abundant opportunities available in the country and are still begging before the IMF to bring economic stability in the country.
FPCCI regional coordinator said time has come to focus on the budget to revive the war-battered economy, businesses, trade and export of the country. Sartaj suggested that a proportion of 20 percent funds should be allocated for promotion of economic and trade activities in the forthcoming provincial budget.
He further said that special budgetary measures should be made to boost up mutual trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan and onward to Central Asian Countries.
The FPCCI official stressed that hydro power plant, tourism and food safety should be prioritized in the provincial budget. He said women were engaged in handicrafts and other business activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and appropriate funds should be allocated for setting up women business development centres in remote Chitral district and other parts of the province.
In the provincial budget, he said, land should be allocated for the establishment of a gems city because the development of the gems sector can bring economic revolution in the province.
President, Charsadda Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sikandar Khan, Peshawar Small Chamber former president Khalid Farooq Malik also spoke and emphasized the need to work for economic development and improving the taxation system.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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