| |
Hamdard Shura for reducing non-development
expenditure
Staff Reporter
Karachi—Speakers at the meeting of Shura Hamdard Karachi chapter
urged the government to introduce austerity drive, reduce
non-development expenditures, develop cottage industries, introduce
land reforms and to impose tax on agricultural income in order to
cut non-development expenditures, provide employment opportunities
and give relief to peasants and to expand tax base.
A statement here on Friday said that the meeting was held on the
subject of ‘Shura’s suggestions and recommendations for the national
budget 2008-2009'.
It was presided over by Capt (Rtd) Anwarul Haq Siddiqui at a local
hotel. Mrs Sadia Rashid, President, Shura Hamdard Pakistan, was also
present at the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, economist M.A. Sabzwari while giving his
budget suggestions said that the grades of MP-1 and MP-2 should be
abolished as, according to him, they were creating discrimination in
society.
He suggested that reasonable funds for the improvement of cottage
industries be allocated in the coming budge and that four per cent
of GDP be allocated for education and 15 to 20 per cent increase be
made in salaries and pensions, keeping in view of price hike in
daily use commodities.
Capt (Rtd) Anwarul Haq Siddiqui said that more funds should be
allocated in coming budget for the development of agriculture as in
the coming age only that country would be able to survive which
would have enjoyed strong agricultural base.
He said that development of water and energy resources were
essential for the promotion of agriculture and development of human
resources were indispensable for an educated, trained, healthy and
developed nation, he maintained.
Col (Rtd) Mukhtar Ahmed Butt demanded that luxury items, including
luxury cars, should be banned for at least five years.
The real problem was that in our country laws are made but never
implemented, resulting in continuation of prevailing disparity in
our society, he maintained.
Columnist Mohammed Saeed Siddiqui said how a country be run smoothly
by keeping the huge agricultural income out of the tax net and
demanded that income tax be levied on agricultural income.
Scientist Dr Mirza Arshad Ali Beg was of the view that we can reduce
our cost of production only by controlling our wastages.
Dr Syed Amjad Ali Jaffery said that there must be some incentives
for local scientists in the budget as they had capacity to overcome
the problem of energy by producing solar energy.
|
