CM agrees authorization of budgetary proposals for an interim period of four months      

PESHAWAR: Caretaker Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Justice (R) Dost Mohammad Khan has in principal agreed to the authorization of budgetary proposals for an interim period of four months (2018-19) to be tabled before the provincial cabinet for final approval in its next sitting.

This was decided by the caretaker chief minister while presiding over pre-budget meeting at Chief Minister Secretariat Peshawar.

He cut down his discretionary and secret fund making it subject to the scrutiny of the cabinet and asked the quarter concerned to propose the rationalization of the fund, saying the chief minister should first set an example of being disciplined that would be followed by the ministers and the bureaucracy.

The meeting was attended by Provincial Minister for Finance Abdur Rauf Khan Khattak, Additional Chief Secretary Shehzad Bangash, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Shahab Ali Shah and Secretary Planning and Development.

The meeting had detailed deliberations on the proposed budgetary proposals and the developmental schemes reflected in the new ADP 2018-19.

The caretaker chief minister formally agreed to the 10% raise in salaries and pension of the provincial government employees.

The meeting was given a detailed presentation on the mode of federal transfers to the province, the status of AGN Qazi formula and the net hydel power share and gas royalty of the province.

The meeting also discussed the provincial own receipts and the grey areas for widening the base of provincial tax collection.

Addressing the pre budget meeting, the caretaker chief minister directed for efficient utilization of resources discouraging wastage of resources.

He said the practical implementation on the AGN Qazi formula, endorsed by the president through a presidential order and even owned by the relevant quarter would jump up the provincial share on the net hydel power.

The Supreme Court’s verdict legitimized the provincial claim but the provincial government should have the capacity to discover the scope of the verdict and obtained full advantage of the decision of the superior judiciary.

Justice ® Dost Muhammad Khan said the emerging scenario after the seven merged districts of the erstwhile FATA, posed multiple challenges.

These challenges included the implementation on financial plan of the federal government for the expeditious mainstreaming of tribal of the merged seven districts.

He also called upon the officials to identify the weaknesses in the tax collection exercise and assure for remedial measures.

His government would give recommendations for the future development, reducing unemployment, improving the financial health of the province and the overall developmental guidelines to the coming government.

He was not satisfied with the five per cent “Abiana” collection and directed to enhance it through a capacity building plan of the officials.

He also agreed to the promotion of different scenic spots on tourism lines and hoped that these spots would not only stabilize the local economy but would also feed the provincial economy as well.

He urged for the provision of pure drinking water, construction of industries and small dams in FATA.