LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman emphasised the necessity of increasing the provincial resources to better serve the public.
The pivotal role of taxpayers is essential stakeholders in ensuring effective governance, he said while chairing the meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Resource Mobilisation for the Financial Year 2024-25, here on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by the Provincial Ministers of Communication and Works, and Transport, the Additional Secretary of Finance, the Punjab Excise and Taxation Secretary and other relevant officials. They deliberated on proposals for augmenting resources across various departments.
Shuja-ur-Rehman highlighted the responsibility of citizens to contribute to the enhancement of public services by fulfilling their tax obligations. He reaffirmed the government commitment to delivering essential facilities to the public in return for their contributions.
He advocated for a prudent approach to taxation, stressing the importance of maximising the collection of existing taxes rather than introducing new levies. He emphasised the need to alleviate the burden on taxpayers and to combat tax evasion effectively.
He averred that the primary objective of tax collections was to alleviate the challenges faced by ordinary citizens and thus, he urged for increased awareness among the public regarding the significance of tax contributions and called for the enhancement of revenue generation mechanisms.
The proposals approved by the Resource Mobilisation Committee will be integrated into the finance bill following endorsement from the Punjab chief minister and Cabinet. The committee will oversee the implementation of proposed measures and monitor departmental performance to ensure the attainment of revenue enhancement goals, he added.
On this occasion, the minister directed officials to diligently pursue measures aimed at bolstering revenue streams. He urged the Punjab Excise and Taxation secretary to finalise proposals for revenue increases to facilitate informed decision-making.
The additional secretary of Finance informed the meeting of compiled suggestions for resource increases in key departments, including the Excise and Taxation department, the Board of Revenue and the Punjab Revenue Authority.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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