Govt Takes Effective, Comprehensive Reforms in All Sectors of Economy: Bakhat

LAHORE– Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht said on Monday the present government was taking effective and comprehensive reforms in all sectors of economy instead of taking mere show-off measures as were taken by the past regime.

He was addressing the concluding session of a seminar on ‘Tax Revenue Mobilization’ organized by Punjab Excise and Taxation Department at a local hotel. Representatives of Board of Revenue Punjab, Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA), German partner GIZ and other stakeholders ensure their active participation in the seminar.

Provincial Finance Minister added that effective reforms like Smart Card, Land Record Management System, and Restaurant Invoice Monitoring System proved instrumental in bringing a positive change in the tax culture, asserting that GIZ cooperation in this connection was highly commendable.

Present government was not contained to automation of tax collection system only as scope of automation/computerization was being extended speedily to all other departments as well to ensure transparency and good governance, he said and cited that Education Department had earlier been mostly spent its time and working on transfers and postings of teachers, and now automation of this matter had enabled the department to also focus on its real work of bringing improvements in the textbooks and teaching methods.

While modern monitoring system at hospitals would definitely improve the healthcare facilities for the people, he added.

Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht mentioned that 70 years old system of provision of facilities to the people was highly unsatisfactory however, utilization ratio of allocated budget for developmental projects was now better due corrective measures of the present government.

Best targets were being worked out for various departments in an effort to improve their service delivery, he said and continued that tax collection system was being attached with modern technology so as to remove public complaints as well as bring transparency in the service delivery.

He said that after working out short, medium and long term planning, the implementation phase was now on and the impact of positive change in the system would soon be felt at grass root level.

 “We have high hopes from Excise and Taxation Department,” he said and hinted at that collection of token tax and other government dues would soon be possible through website and mobile phone application, while scope of property tax was being expanded. Collection of taxes on commercial properties and those situated along sides the highways would start from January 1, 2020, and widows would be exempted from property tax.— PRESS HANDOUT