Punjab Govt to bring people's friendly budget for 2016

LAHORE (Staff Report) - Finance Minister of Punjab Dr Ayesha Ghous Pasha has said that Punjab Government will bring people friendly budget for fiscal 2016-17.

Speaking at a seminar organized here Friday at Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), the Minister informed that the electricity production projects started by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's government would complete by end of 2017.

Pasha said Punjab Government was taking steps to boost confidence of the foreign investors. She said the purpose of her visit was to interact with Karachi's businessmen and know from them the problems they had been facing.

"Punjab government's upcoming budget will directly benefit the common people and new job opportunities would be created," she said.

She said like other parts of the country, Punjab was also suffering from the shortage of electricity.

But, she added, the provincial government was taking initiatives of building renewable energy plants to address the shortage.

The Minister said China Pakistan Economic Corridor Project would prove to be a game changer and would create new business and employment opportunities.

Pasha said the Punjab Government realized the problems which the farmers were facing due to a drop in the reduction of the crop prices.

"In view of this, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has earmarked Rs 100 billion for two-year subsidy to the agriculture sector," she informed.

The Minister also underscored the importance of paying tax and urged the business community to pay their taxes to contribute to the country's development.

The Chairman of Punjab Investment Board Muzaffar Mairaj Khwaja, Chairman Punjab Revenue Authority Raheel Siddiqi, OICCI President Shuhab Rizvi and OICCI General Secretary Abdul Aleem were also present on the occasion.