SNG-II Supports KP ET&NC Department And KPRA To Improve Revenues, Broaden Tax Net

Faizan Hashmi Published August 03, 2020 | 03:40 PM

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Aug, 2020 ) :The UK Department for International Development's (DFID) funded Sub-National Governance Programme (SNG-II) was supporting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Excise and Taxation (E&T) Department and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA) in developing innovative projects that would help these line departments in increasing tax revenues, broadening tax net and improved governance.

In this connection, both KPRA and E&TNC Departments held meetings to have pitch presentations from the technology firms whose proposals were shortlisted for SNG-II Innovation Challenge Fund, says a press release issued here on Monday.

"Despite the major disruptions caused by COVID-19, we are able to launch Round 1 of Innovation Challenge Fund which is aimed at providing technology-based solutions for increasing fiscal space in the province, especially for KPRA and E&T Department" said Saeed Khan,Innovation Advisor KP, Sub-National Governance Programme.

He said that proposals had been received for E-commerce, Revenue Information Systems and telecom related themes.

He said the line departments were currently reviewing the final proposals and soon we would award these projects to successful firms.

" Under the SNG-II Innovation Challenge Fund, DFID has allocated �8 million for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to finance innovative and potentially scalable pilot approaches and conduct action research to build evidence of workable solutions to improved governance resulting in effective service delivery that in particular meet the needs of poor and marginalized people in SNG-II target districts.

The ICF funds innovative pilots that support areas such as public financial management, planning, revenue mobilization, delivery of municipal services, accountability and transparency and other reform areas that may not be possible through a standard TA as it requires additional financial and thinking space.

It is pertinent to mention here that the four-year (2019-2023) SNG-II programme supports the Governments of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab as well as local governments in selected districts to improve the way they are governed and manage their resources for better service delivery.