Accountability process discussed at pre-budget seminar

Speaker laments construction ignored in previous budgets


Our Correspondent May 01, 2019
Over 2,000 residential units are being used for commercial purposes in capital. CREATIVE COMMONS

PESHAWAR: Housing and construction sector hold the key for broad-based economic mobilisation which helps creates jobs, generate income and subsequently increases spending that turns the wheel of economy, said professor of economy at Institute of Management Sciences (IMSciences) Peshawar.

“Housing sector, albeit strength of economy, has been ignored in budgets of the past,” said IMSciences Professor of Economics Dr Waqar Ali speaking at a pre-budget seminar.

K-P finance department and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusam­menarbeit (GIZ) or German Society for International Cooperation had organised the seminar. Giz conducted the seminar as part of Support to Local Governance Programme on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Swiss Development Cooperation.

Dr Waqar Ali also suggested that the K-P finance department should have a vision-mission statement for their budget as that will guide them in the right direction.

IMSciences Director Dr Muhammad Mohsin Khan said the country has more often than not experienced budget deficit. He talked about why taxes are so important and how in our society, people are not paying enough taxes, which causes many issues.

Shabana Gul, Assistant Professor at IMSciences moderated the session.

Participation Budget seminar for local input held

Finance Department was represented by Jehanzeb Pervez, Aneela Faheem, Sajeer Alam, Usman Khalil and Arsalan Khan of the working group Fiscal Publications for Citizens. The group works to demystify the budget making process and makes budget documents available to citizens.

The students and faculty of IMSciences attended the seminar.

Shabana Gul gave a presentation on the topic of Social Accountability. She stated that a budget is made in order to serve the needs of the people. Talking about her past experiences of working with the World Bank, the FATA and K-P governments, she said that strategies and annual budget plans should be aligned with each other.

Finance department representatives gave presentation on ''Allocation VS Utilisation of Budget''. They said that the main purpose of this seminar was to promote awareness and transparency.

They talked about a Skill Development Fund for the people of KP that is in process.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2019.

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