Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) is in the process of installing latest plants for salt grinding, gypsum powder and plaster of Paris to increase its production capacity. "The new plants are being installed at Warcha Salt mines for production of powder salt and iodized table salt, production of Gypsum powder for domestic sale and export purposes and manufacturing of Plaster of Paris besides initiating a Gravel Stone project at Kahuta, district Rawalpindi," official sources told APP.

Answering a question, they said the PMDC produced around 4.07 megatonne salt and 1.59 mega tonne coal from its mines operating in different parts of the country during the last three years. The corporation has also contributed taxes and dividends of Rs 1,896.496 million to national exchequer during the period. The corporation produced 1,313,494 tonnes salt in the year 2013-14, 1,330,009 tonnes in 2014-15 and 1,433,152 tonnes in 2015-16 from Khewra, Makrach, Warcha, Kalabagh and Jatta/B.Khel salt mines.

While, coal production from Sor-Range, Degari, Sharigh and Lakhra mines stood at 527,453 tonnes in the fiscal year 2013-14, 514,469 tonnes in 2014-15 and 557,950 tonnes in 2015-16, they added. Replying to a question, the sources said the corporation was in process of installing salt grinding plants at Warcha Salt Mines for production of powdered salt and iodized table salt. Answering a question, they said the corporation contributed taxes and dividends of Rs 1,896.496 million to national exchequer during the period.

The corporation paid Rs 902.404 million in fiscal year 2015-16, Rs 519.459 million in 2014-15 and Rs 474.633 million on account of different taxes and dividends, they added. Giving break up, the sources said, Rs 742.971 million were paid under the general sales tax head, out of which payment of Rs 328.993 was made in 2015-16, Rs 220.184 million in 2014-15 and Rs 193.794 million in 2013-14.

While, it deposited Rs 437.55 million royalty, out of which Rs 156.646 million were paid in 2015-16, Rs 153.220 million in 2014-15 and Rs 127.684 million in 2013-14. On account of income tax, the corporation paid Rs 312.279 million in three years, Rs 127.830 million, Rs 92.521 million and Rs 91.928 million in 2015-16, 2014-15 and 2013-14 respectively.

An amount of Rs 29.569 has been deposited under the head of excise duty including Rs 11.007 million in 2015-16, Rs 9.534 million in 2014-15 and Rs 9.027 million in 2013-14. In addition to taxes, the sources said, dividends amounting to Rs 140.2 million have been paid to national exchequer, out of which Rs 44 million each were paid in 2015-16 and 2014-15, while Rs 52.2 million were paid in 2013-14.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2017