Staff Reporter Peshawar
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has said that no new tax will be levied in the upcoming financial budget whereas reforms will be introduced in the existing taxes adding that despite difficult financial situation, developmental portfolio of the province will not be compromised.
He has further said that promise 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 will be setup at divisional level to ensure implementation of the minimum wages.
He expressed these views while talking to senior journalists during an informal session regarding the upcoming budget held here on Monday.
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 detail 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.
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 two, 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 300 mega watt Balakat Hydro Power Project was the largest project in energy sector of the province which was ready for groundbreaking and added that Prime Minister Imran Khan will himself perform groundbreaking 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 fulfill their commitments with regard to sparing 3% of their NFC shares for the newly merged districts as committed by all during the last government.
