Daily Times

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan on Monday said that no new tax would be levied in the upcoming financial budget whereas reforms would be introduced in the existing taxes adding that despite the difficult financial situation, developmental portfolio of the province would not be compromised.

He expressed these views while talking to senior journalists during an informal session regarding the upcoming budget held here.

Provincial Ministers Taimur Saleem jhagra, Akbar Ayub, Special Assistant to CM Karman Bangash, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Secretary Finance Atif Rehman and other concerned officials also attended the session.

The journalists were given a detailed briefing about the salient features of the upcoming budget as well as the important achievements of the last year budget. Journalists gave their input and suggestions to further improve the budget.

He has further said that promises made to the government employees with regard to salary enhancement would be fulfilled, implementation of the minimum wages of daily wagers would be ensured and task forces would be set up at divisional level to ensure implementation of the minimum wages.

Mahmood Khan said that the successful merger of Ex-FATA with the province in short span of two years was a big achievement of the incumbent provincial government and added that extension of Sehat Card Plus scheme to the entire population of the province, successful completion of Bus Rapid Transit and Swat Motorway Phase-I and inauguration of Rashkai Special Economic Zone were some of the other achievements of his government.

The chief minister maintained that a number of mega developmental projects had been matured and physical work on the same would be started within next three months adding that progress was being made on D.I.Khan Motorway, Swat Motorway Phase-II, Dir Expressway, Chashma Right Bank Canal and Daraban Economic Zone projects.

The provincial government was making all out efforts to start practical work on all these projects. He said that the 300 megawatt Balakat Hydro Power Project was the largest project in the energy sector of the province which was ready for ground-breaking and added that Prime Minister Imran Khan would himself perform ground-breaking of the project very soon.

Responding to a question Mahmood Khan said that Developmental Budget of the newly merged districts was increased from Rs 24 billion per annum to Rs 60 billion per annum and continued that the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, as per their commitment were giving 3% of their NFC shares for the development of the newly merged districts but no other federating unit had not yet fulfilled its commitment in this regard for which he was raising his voice at all the available forums.

He urged upon all the federating units to fulfil their commitments with regard to sparing 3% of their NFC shares for the newly merged districts as committed by all during the last government.

Mahmood Khan maintained that the provincial government as per its district development plan was investing developmental funds in the newly merged districts on the basis of population density and urgent needs of the people.