Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has said the government will focus on growth strategy to create new job opportunities and enhance the income levels of the people.

Winding up discussion on the Budget for next fiscal year in the National Assembly on Friday, he said we are heading towards an inclusive and sustainable growth.

The Finance Minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan took bold and difficult decisions to steer the economy in the right direction. Despite COVID-19 challenge, we achieved the growth of four percent during the current fiscal year due to the interventions made in different sectors, including industries, housing and construction and the agriculture.

Shaukat Tarin also announced a series of relief measures for different sectors. He said the tax relief earlier given to the auto sector for the vehicles up to 850 cc is being extended to 1000 cc vehicles. He said tax imposed on medical bills and GP fund is being withdrawn. The tax imposed on the milk has also been waived off.  He said there will be no tax on internet and SMS while only 75 paisas will be charged form the users on a call of more than five minutes.

The Minister said there will be zero tax on the registered IT platforms while only two percent for the unregistered ones. He said there will be 17 percent tax on the value added products of gold. He said that tax on poultry is being reduced from 15 to 10 percent.  On textile products the tax has been reduced from 12 to 10 percent. Similarly, tax rate on the real estate has been reduced. Under the construction package the ratio of income tax has been reduced from 35 percent to 20 percent. He said tax relief has also been given to oil refineries so that they could turn to Euro-5 fuel.

The Minister categorically stated that no tax has been imposed on flour and its products.

Shaukat Tarin said the budget has given a hope to all tiers of the society. He said the budget envisages a comprehensive plan for the uplift of four to six million poor households. Under this plan, these households will be provided with affordable houses. The rural households will be given interest free loans of up to three hundred thousand rupees for the agriculture productivity besides two hundred thousand rupees for purchase of equipment.  He said five hundred thousand rupees of interest free loans will be provided to each deserving household in the urban areas to start their businesses. He said these poor households will also be provided with health cards. 

The Minister said that the allocation for Ehsaas Program has been enhanced to 260 billion rupees to provide assistance to under privileged segments of the societies.  He said the government will provide targeted subsidies to the low-income groups on power tariff, flour, ghee and sugar.

The Minister said that the tax collection for the next fiscal year has been fixed at 5800 billion rupees. We are bringing changes in the tax system and introducing automation. He said that twelve withholding taxes have been withdrawn as these are regressive in nature.

The Finance Minister said that the government has increased the annual PSDP by 40 percent from 630 billion rupees to 900 billion rupees. He said projects pertaining to transport and energy as well as development of backward areas including Balochistan, Tribal Areas, Gilgit-Baltistan have been given priority in the development plan to bring prosperity and reduce poverty.

He said 1.1 billion dollars has been earmarked for the purchase of anti-Covid vaccine. Five billion rupees have been set aside for the development of E-voting system.

The Minister pointed out that Pakistan has become a net food importer and the present government will now spend on the agriculture sector to achieve the self-reliance. He said that a plan has been formulated in cooperation with the provinces to uplift this sector. He said that cold storages and warehouses will established and a network of agri-malls will be spread across the country to eliminate the roll of middle man.

As regards the industrial sector, he said incentives of forty billion rupees will be given with an aim to increase the competitiveness of this important sector of the economy. He said that tax relief has been given to SMEs sector and loans of one hundred billion rupees will be given to them on a markup of 9 percent.  He said we are also brining a new auto policy and “Meri Gari Scheme” will be introduced.

He said the incentives given to the export oriented industries will be continued during the next fiscal year. He said our aim is to enhance our export base by encouraging the exports in different sectors.

Shaukat Tareen expressed satisfaction over the growth of IT sector, saying our aim is bolster their exports to 6 to 8 billion dollars in the next two to three years.  He said we are also establishing special economic zones under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. He said we are engaged with China for relocation of their industries to these zones. He said investment from other countries will also be brought in these SEZs.

Turing to the power sector, The Finance Minister said that there will be no increase in the tariff and this has also been conveyed to the IMF. He was confident that the flow of circular debt will start reducing from the next fiscal year.  He said that sufficient funds have been earmarked for the construction of dams in the country.

The National Assembly today passed 68 demands for grants relating to different ministries, divisions and departments for the next fiscal year.

No cut motions were moved by the opposition against these demands for grants.

At the outset, the House offered fateha for the martyred soldiers of Frontier Corps in Sibi.

The house is currently considering recommendations made by the Senate for incorporation in the Finance bill 2021-22.

The House will now meet tomorrow at 11 a.m.