NA resumes debate on federal budget

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Saturday resumed debate on the next federal budget 2011-12.

Taking part in the debate Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi said that despite internal and external challenges, the government has given relief to the masses in the budget. He said fruits of the government’s policies will soon be visible on the life of the people.

He said the government has evolved long-term policies to overcome gas and electricity crisis. He welcomed five-year tax holiday announced in the budget for the new businesses to be set up without any bank loans.

Chaudhry Naseer Bhutta while participating in the debate said the budget offers no relief measures or incentives for the people particularly the agriculture sector. He said that no road map has been set in the budget to overcome the energy crisis and the revival of industrial sector.

Regretting that the parliamentarians were not taken on board before the preparation of the budget, he suggested the government to amend Article 84 of the Constitution to make the budget-making process more transparent.

Gul Muhammad Jhakrani while welcoming increase in the salaries of employees and abolition of flood surcharge asked the government to review its decision of imposing agriculture tax as it will adversely affect the farmers.

Chaudhry Saud Majeed suggested the government to set up a separate wing in the FBR to make the revenue collection system more efficient and effective. He said that special emphasis should be laid on the skill development of youth and the private sector should be included in the process.

He said that the recommendations of the parliamentarians should be included in the final budget document. He said a pre-budget session should be convened before the budget to include the inputs of the parliamentarians.

Usman Khan Advocate said no concrete steps have been taken for the implementation of Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan announced by the present government. He regretted that the commission constituted for the recovery of missing persons has also failed to come up to the expectations of the people.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi urged the government to adopt austerity measures and enhance its revenues by reforming the tax collection system to achieve self-reliance as the burgeoning debt is detrimental for the economy.

Abdul Ghani Talpur asked the government to abolish tax on fertilizers and tractors for the promotion of agriculture sector. He said the PPP government should follow the vision of its shaheed leader Benazir Bhutto and work for the welfare of the workers and laborers.

Araish Kumar voiced concerns over the rising prices of electricity and petrol saying it is affecting the lives of common man. He regretted that the budget envisages no relief measures for the minorities.

Ramesh Lal said credit goes to the government for presenting a balanced budget in the backdrop of difficult situation. He said it is the present government which has launched unprecedented welfare projects for the minorities.

Abdul Qadir Baloch asked the government to implement development projects in Balochistan to remove the sense of deprivation of the people of the province. He said dialogue should be initiated with the estranged Baloch leaders to bring them into the mainstream of politics.

Describing the budget as direction-less, Sardar Talib Nakai said the country cannot achieve prosperity until and unless basic facilities are provided to the people. He said special emphasis should be laid on overcoming gas and electricity shortages.

Mahesh Kumar said the present government is taking forward the policy of reconciliation which will strengthen the democracy and the country. He said it is for the first time that the government disbursed equal funds to all the parliamentarians without any discrimination.

Iqbal Muhammad Ali said the government should take immediate steps to check the prices of essential commodities and provide relief to the masses. He lamented that the flood affectees are still facing hardships and the financial assistance extended by the international community is not reaching to them. He urged the government to constitute a commission to look into the irregularities of funds that were meant for flood affected people.

The House will meet again on Monday afternoon at 5:00pm.(PPI)