Budget Advisory Board Holds Pre-budget Consultative Meeting

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Budget Advisory Board organized a pre-budget consultative meeting for collecting budget proposals from line departments and the business community for inclusion in the upcoming provincial budget

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th May, 2023 ) :Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Budget Advisory board organized a pre-budget consultative meeting for collecting budget proposals from line departments and the business community for inclusion in the upcoming provincial budget.

The meeting was presided over by Advisor to KP Caretaker CM on Finance, Himayatullah Khan. Besides, Caretaker Minister for Industries & Technical education, Mohammad Adnan Jalil and Officers of the line departments, Coordinator of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), Sartaj Ahmad Khan, other representatives of the business community also attended the meeting at large.

Speaking in the meeting, Coordinator FPCCI Sartaj Ahmad Khan said that during the last 75 years, economic growth has never remained the priority of rulers and despite having huge economic potential we are begging before the international monetary institutes.

He said that now it is the need of the hour to fully focus on economic development and promotion of business activities and allocate at least 20% share in the provincial budget for economic and trade development.

The FPCCI official further stressed on giving special priority to bilateral trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian States and promotion of hydel power, tourism and horticulture sectors. He called for making policy and focusing on it in the annual budget to improve the economy of the province.

He called for the establishment of a women's business centre at each district level to utilize the potential of women in the economic development of the province. He further demanded the allocation of land for the establishment of Gem City, which could prove a catalyst for economic growth.

Former president, the Peshawar Chamber of Small Traders & Industry (PSTI) and president, the Charsadda Chamber of Commerce, Sikandar Khan stressed the need for bringing improvement in the taxation system.

Addressing the consultative meeting, Advisor to KP CM on Finance, Himayatullah Khan assured that the proposals of the business community would be given special importance in the upcoming provincial budget and all-out efforts would be made to present a public and business-friendly budget to guarantee economic development.