Regarding budget proposals, he said he had already visited Lahore, Multan and Sialkot chambers and now visiting Faisalabad chamber to seek their budget related proposals. He said that after 18th amendment we must mobilise our own resources.
Currently, Punjab is generating only 20 percent from its own resources while it has to depend on NFC award for remaining 80 percent. Hence, we must create maximum new resources for self-reliance, he said.
The minister said that in this connection, government is encouraging business growth so that Punjab could collect maximum revenue to meet its own domestic needs.
Regarding property tax, he said that 80 percent of total collected amount from this head is paid back to the local government departments for development projects.
"Our department is conducting a survey in collaboration with local government and GIZ to set the development related priorities so that the collected amount of taxes may be spent accordingly," he said.
Hafiz Mumtaz further said that until now, property tax is collected only from urban areas whereas the areas around cities have also made phenomenal progress and now we are planning to collect taxes from the properties fallen within these areas.
He said previous government took traditional measures to increase taxes by enhancing the tax ratio. He cited that owners of luxurious vehicles preferred getting registration of their vehicles from Islamabad or other provinces due to huge difference between their registration fees. He said that now the registration fee has been brought at par with the other provinces.
In this regard, he said that earlier in Punjab 10,000 to 15,000 luxurious vehicles were registered while their number reduced to only 2,000 due to the difference in registration fees.
About token tax, he said that its ratio would not be increased in the coming budget. He said universal number plates system would replace current system soon.
Bids were invited for the issuance of new plates but three months were wasted in stay order. He said he was in contact with police to avoid harassing these vehicle owners due to the non availability of number plates.
He said they have finalised structure of a new force to combat the menace of narcotics in consultation with Anti-Narcotics Force.
The minister assured that he would direct Director Excise and Taxation to dedicate one full day for FCCI and resolve their genuine issues positively before June 30.
Replying to a question about Help Desk of Excise and Taxation Department, he told that an official will be deputed to visit FCCI daily and settle the taxation related issues.
Earlier, acting president FCCI Mian Tanveer Ahmad spoke. He also presented FCCI shield to the minister.
Tallat Mehmood, Rana Sikandar Azam, Aslam Bhalli, Mehmood Alam Jatt, Khalid Mehmood Shaoq and Muzammal Sultan participated in Q&A session.