LAHORE - Provincial Minister for Finance, Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha has said that revenue receipts have increased by 45 percent while development expenditure by 31 percent in 2015-16 as a result of reforms in tax system. In view of these achievements, a regular tax policy unit is being set up in Civil Secretariat under Finance Department, which will evolve effective planning for revenue mobilization and fix target of receipts of next financial year besides ensure enforcement of system of online receipts through other banks instead of limiting to only National Bank.

She expressed these views while addressing a meeting held regarding preparation of roadmap of tax and public finance management unit for next financial year in Finance Department. Special Secretary Finance Usman Chaudhry, Additional Secretary Saif Ullah Khokhar and PFM Advisor besides all concerned officers of Finance Department were present on the occasion. In a briefing, Deputy Secretary Finance informed the Minister that debit management unit has been activated in Finance Dept under reforms agenda while formal planning of reforms has been made after functional review in Punjab Revenue Authority under which, policy is being evolved for manual audit of taxes. Two-way system of communication is being evolved for the provision of services to taxpayers and public-private dialogues so that an environment of confidence could be created among the people and tax collecting agencies.

She said that under reforms plan in Excise & Taxation Department, third party audit of the record of urban property has been completed in six districts. Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha gave approval to the framework evolved for next year and expressed satisfaction over the steps being taken regarding improvement by Finance Department in tax and other financial matters of the province.

She directed concerned officers to expand internal system of IT and make its formal networking and bound tax collecting agencies at provincial level to set up online complaint cells in their offices where people can register complaints and pinpoint their complaints and other problems with regard to tax recovery.