ISLAMABAD -  The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday informed a parliamentary committee that it has sought Rs6.115 billion for its 49 projects under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the next fiscal year (2018-19).

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, which met under the chair of Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, discussed the PSDP of the Revenue Division for the upcoming financial year. The committee was informed that FBR has proposed 25 new development projects and 5 ongoing projects for the next fiscal year.

The committee was informed that there are many ongoing projects of the FBR, which had not completed due to the shortage of funds. The committee expressed displeasure over the government’s policy for not releasing funds for the ongoing development projects, which are delaying with the passage of every year.

The committee also approved the PSDP of the Narcotics Control Division for the next fiscal year. Secretary Narcotics Control Division informed the committee that there are three ongoing projects and 15 new development projects proposed for the Narcotics Control Division for the next fiscal year. It proposed to allocate Rs5.6 billion for its 21 projects.

He informed the committee that they had seized the drugs worth Rs5 billion in last year. The government had also seized the drugs in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)’s planes.