Assignment Economics

Published on December 2016 | Categories: Documents | Downloads: 66 | Comments: 0 | Views: 375
of 14
Download PDF   Embed   Report

Assignment Economics

Comments

Content

Economics Assignment
Topic:Defence Budget
Class: B.com (hons) Section: Session: Submitted By: "unaid #li $2% &uhammad Sa'id $2( #)dul *asee) $20 * &uhammad +sman $0, *am-a #li $01 Submitted to: ./of. S0ed Salman 1i-a2i “C” 2010 1!

*#3456 C744585 79 C7&&51C5

OUTLINE

 .u/pose of this )udget  1elation )et:een the )udget and econom0  Defence )udget 2011 12  Causes of inc/ement in it  ./e2ious )udget  C/iticism on /ecentl0 p/esented defence )udget  Conclusion

Pak’s Total Military Outlay Over Rs 718 Bn for 2011-12
Pakistan government’s total outlay for the military for fiscal 2011-12 is over Rs 718 billion, considerably higher than the defence budget of Rs !" billion sho#n in budget documents$%n addition to the defence budget, the &inance 'inistry has allocated Rs 80 billion under the (rmed &orces )evelo*ment Programme, Rs "0 billion under reimbursements from the +, -oalition ,u**ort &und for e.*enses on the #ar on terror and Rs 20 billion received for *artici*ation of the armed forces in +/ *eacekee*ing missions$0ver and above these allocations, another Rs 71$2 billion #ill be *aid as military *ensions from civilian accounts, a *ractice started in 2000 by e.military ruler Perve2 'usharraf to give the im*ression that Pakistan had slashed its defence s*ending$( senior official of the &inance 'inistry outlined the actual outlay for the military #hile interacting #ith a grou* of 3ournalists yesterday, media re*orts said today$4he stated budget, additional allocations and military *ensions amount to almost 25 *er cent of the total budget$4he additional allocations are reflected in budget documents as 6grants7 under the heading of 6contingent liabilities$7 4he additional allocation of Rs 1"0 billion for 2011-12 is Rs 8$ billion or almost si. *er cent more than the similar outlay for the outgoing fiscal$ %n the outgoing fiscal, the government allocated Rs 110 billion for contingent liabilities but actually s*ent Rs 1 1$7 billion, according to budget documents$ 4he stated defence budget for the outgoing fiscal #as Rs 2 billion$

4he (rmed &orces )evelo*ment Programme too #as conceived by 'usharraf’s regime to e8ui* the military #ith the latest combat aircraft, surveillance *lanes and systems, submarines and other so*histicated #ea*ons$ 4his *rogramme #ill continue till 202"$ 9o#ever, the &inance 'inistry official told the 3ournalists that the government has decided to reduce the amount it e.*ects to receive from the +, -oalition ,u**ort &und in a substantial manner$ %n the outgoing fiscal, the government had estimated that the +, #ould reimburse around +,) 1$1 billion but the actual reimbursements had amounted to +,) 7 " million so far$ 4he +, is 6using dilly-dallying tactics7 #hile making reimbursements and uses the funds as 6leverage to achieve its strategic goals,7 4he /e#s daily 8uoted its sources as saying$ 4he +, no# #ants to Pakistan to launch a fresh anti-militancy offensive in the #eeks ahead after #hich the funds might be reimbursed, the sources said$

%n the #ake of Pakistani military’s failure to detect 0sama bin :aden’s *resence in the garrison city of (bbottabad and the daring terrorist raid on a naval airbase in ;arachi that killed 10 security *ersonnel and destroyed t#o surveillance aircraft, o**osition *arties like the P':-/ have called for a debate on defence s*ending in Parliament$ ,ome defence analysts have demanded that defence allocations should be linked to *erformance$ 4he o**osition *arties have also demanded that full details of the defence budget should be *laced in Parliament but the government stuck to the *revalent *ractice of tabling the outlay in the form of a brief statement$ 0f the stated defence budget of Rs !" billion, Rs 205$" billion #ere allocated for em*loyeesrelated e.*enses, Rs 128$1 billion as o*erating e.*enses of the armed forces, Rs 117$5 billion for creating *hysical assets and Rs 2$7 billion for civil #orks

Cost of War on Terror for Pakistan E ono!y" Pakistan’s economy is under *ressure of the <ar on 4error intensifying for last four years in (fghanistan$ ,ince 2005, the <ar has s*read like a contagion into settled areas of Pakistan that has so far, cost the country more than 1",000 citi2ens, 1"00 security *ersonnel, destruction of infrastructure, internal migration of millions of *eo*le from *arts of north#estern Pakistan, erosions of investment climate, nose diving of *roduction and gro#ing unem*loyment and above all brought economic activity to a virtual standstill in many *art of the country$ Pakistan had never #itnessed such devastating social and economic u*heaval in its industry, even after dismemberment of the country by direct #ar$ (fter !=11 Pakistan had to assume the role of a frontline state in the <ar against 4error$ 4he onset of the <ar disru*ted Pakistan’s normal trading activities, as the cost of trading increased substantially because of higher insurance cover$ -onse8uently, economic gro#th slo#ed demands for im*orts reduced #ith conse8uential decline in ta. collection and inflo#s of foreign investment #ere naturally adversely affected, accentuated by the travel bans issued by #estern governments to its entre*reneurs$ <hile the economic situation #as #orsening, a ne# elected government took *o#er in 2008 and the 'inistry of &oreign (ffairs constituted an inter-ministerial committee to assess the direct and indirect cost of the <ar on 4error on Pakistan$ 4he 'inistries of &inance, %nterior, -ommerce and some other relevant government de*artments *lus the re*resentatives of t#o *rovinces bordering turbulent (fghanistan *artici*ated in these deliberations$ (fter fe# sessions and valuable in*uts from all sides, the committee estimated the cost of <ar on 4error and its im*act on Pakistan’s economy and society$ 4he conclusion #as that the <ar not only caused serious damage to the economy, but also to the social fabrics of Pakistan$ 0bviously, continuity of <ar #ill continue to bleed the economy and society of Pakistan$ (t the start of the <ar, the cost of it to Pakistan #as estimated at > 2$55! billion in fiscal year 2001-02$ 4his calculation #as based on the assum*tions that? @iA 4he <ar in (fghanistan that begun on 0ctober 7, 2001 #ill end s#iftly by )ecember 2001? @iiA normalcy #ill resume from Banuary 2002C @iiiA the 4aliban government #ill be ousted and some lo# intensity fight #ill continue but life in Pakistan #ill remain normalC and @ivA the additional increase in freight cargo

and #ar risk *remium #ill be removed$ 4he abovementioned assum*tions #ere not materiali2ed and instead the #ar on terror continued to gain momentum and became more *recarious for the entire region in general and Pakistan in *articular as it shifted to its settled areas to disru*t all kind of investment and economic activity$ Pakistan became more insecure in its efforts to make the #orld a safer *lace to live$ Pakistan continued to *ay a heavy *rice in terms of both the economic and security terms$ ( large *ortion of its resources, both men and material are being consumed by this #ar for the last several years$ 4he economy #as sub3ected to enormous #ire t an# in#ire t osts #hich continued to rise from > 2$55! billion in 2001-02 to > 11$5 billion by 200!-10, *ro3ected to rise to > 17$8 billion in the current financial year @2010-11A and moving for#ard, the direct and indirect costs to the economy is most likely to rise further$ 4he com*arison of cost for 2001-02 and 2010-11 is given in 4able-1 and the year-#ise cost of #ar on terror is documented in 4able-2? Dconomic ,urvey 2010-11 220 Ta$le 1" Cost of War Esti!ate in 2001-02 an# 201011%& Billion' 2001-02 2010-11 %Est(' D.*orts 1$ 0 2$!0 -om*ensation to (ffectees 0$00 0$80 Physical infrastructure 0$00 1$72 &oreign %nvestment 0$1" 2$10 Privati2ation 0$"0 1$10 %ndustrial out*ut 0$11 1$70 4a. -ollection 0$2" 2$10 -ost of +ncertainty 0$10 2$!0 D.*enditure 0ver run 0$11 1$50 0thers 0$10 0$!0 Total" 2(72 17(82 Source: Ministry of Finance Ta$le-2" Cost of War %2001-2011' )ears Billion & Billion Rs( * C+an,e 2001-02 2$55! 151$! 2002-0- 2$7 ! 150$8 1$0 200--0. 2$!12 158$8 5$7 200.-0/ 1$ 10 202$ 15$1 200/-00 1$!85 218$5 15$! 2000-07 $570 281$2 17$2 2007-08 5$! 0 1 $1 8$5 2008-01 !$180 720$5 12$1

2001-10 11$"50 1115$ 7$7 2010-112 17$810 1"28$0 11$" Total" 07(120 /0-0(8 * Estimated on the basis of 8 months actual data Source: MoF, M/o Foreign Affairs Joint Ministerial Grou )uring the last 10 years the #ire t an# in#ire t ost of #ar on terror incurred by Pakistan amounted to & 07(1- $illion or Rs(/0-7 $illion$ 4he events that trans*ired after !=11 in (fghanistan #orsened the security environment in the country$ (s a result, the #estern countries including the +nited ,tates continued to im*ose travel ban for their citi2en !in"estor, im orters etc#$ to visit Pakistan$ 4his has affected Pakistan’s e.*orts, *revented the inflo#s of foreign investment, affected the *ace of *rivati2ation *rogram, slo#ed the overall economic activity, reduced im*ort demand, reduced ta. collection, e.*enditure over-run on additional security s*ending, domestic tourism industry suffered badly, hundredsC and thousands of 3obs could have been created had economic activity not slo#ed as #ell as thousands of 3obs #ere lost because of the destruction of domestic=foreign tourism industryC destruction of *hysical infrastructure @military and civilA massive surge in security related s*endingC migration of thousands of *eo*le from #ar affected areas and the associated rise in e.*enditure to su**ort internally dis*laced *ersons$ Pakistan’s investment-to-E)P ratio has nosedived from 22$" *ercent in 2005-07 to 11$ *ercent in 2010-11 #ith serious conse8uences for 3ob creating ability of the economy$ Eoing for#ard, Pakistan needs enormous resources to enhance *roductive ca*acity of the economy$ 4he security situation #ill be the key determinant of the future flo# of the investment$ Pakistan economy needs an early end to this #ar$ 1efe/ence: http:;;:::.finance.go2.p<;su/2e0;chapte/=11;Special>20Section=1.pdf

Bu#,et 2011-2012" 3efen e s4en#in, u4 $y 12*
%,:('(F()? Pakistan has matched %ndia’s increase in defence s*ending, 3acking u* its defence budget by nearly 12 *er cent for the ne.t fiscal year amid rene#ed +, *ressure for a full-scale military o*eration in the /orth <a2iristan tribal agency$ )efence allocation has been increased to Rs !"$2 billion for 2011-12, com*ared to last year’s Rs $2 billion$ %nterestingly, %ndia had also raised its defence e.*enditure by 12 *er cent in &ebruary this year, though the si2e of their budget is much bigger than Pakistan’s$ -iting resource constraints, the government, ho#ever, refused to acce*t the original re8uest by the military establishment #hich had sought an 18 *er cent increase, or Rs"2 billion, for defence e.*enditure$ (ccording to the budget document, of the total Rs !"$2 billion, Rs205$ billion has been allocated for em*loyee-related e.*enses, Rs128$2 billion for o*erating e.*enses and Rs117$" billion has been set aside for *hysical assets$

4he figures, ho#ever, do not include over Rs71 billion allocated for *ensions of military *ersonnel that #ould be *aid from the civilian budget and a se*arate allocation for securityrelated e.*enses in a move, #hich critics say, seeks to conceal the actual defence budget$ -alls have been made for greater scrutiny of the defence s*ending since the 'ay 2 (bbottabad e*isode that embarrassed the military establishment over their ignorance of 0sama bin :aden’s *resence in Pakistan and the +, o*eration$ 4he defence budget has never been debated in detail in *arliament$ 6Parliament should critically revie# defence allocation in the budget,7 said Fushra Eohar, la#maker from the (#ami /ation Party, a coalition *artner in the government$ 4he main o**osition *arty, the Pakistan 'uslim :eague-/a#a2 @P':-/A, has also 8uestioned the increase in defence s*ending$ 6%n the long run, it’s a reci*e for disaster,7 said P':-/’s %nformation ,ecretary (hsan %8bal$ 6%nvesting in education is the only #ay to ensure security,7 he added$ 9o#ever, military officials tried to *lay do#n the increase in defence e.*enditure, arguing that additional funds have been sought to meet e.*enses of troo*s’ de*loyments in restive areas, ration e.*enses and to offset the im*act of the de*reciation of ru*ee against dollar and doubledigit inflation$ %n his budget s*eech, &inance 'inister (bdul 9afee2 ,haikh briefly commented on the increase in defence s*ending, saying that the current security situation #arranted the hike$ (nd it is not 3ust the human cost$ 4he battle against militancy has cost Pakistan >58 billion in the same *eriod$ %nterestingly, #hile the +, has 3ust *rovided over >11 billion to Pakistan over the last 10 years, the losses in 2010-11 alone #ere recorded to be >17$! billion$ %ublished in &he E' ress &ribune, June (th, )*++

Rs/0$n to $e s4ent on internal se urity %,:('(F()? 4he government #ill s*end Rs"5 billion on internal security of the country during 2011-12 as the intensity of terrorist attacks, es*ecially after the killing of (l Gaeda chief 0sama bin :aden in (bbottabad, has made the 3ob of the de*artments concerned more challenging$ 4he *ro3ected allocation includes Rs"$8 billion for various *ro3ects under the Public ,ector )evelo*ment Programme @P,)PA$

%t is not kno#n ho# much money #ill be s*ent on training *olice and civil armed forces *ersonnel and #hat ste*s are being taken to e8ui* them #ith latest #ea*ons and other a**aratus$ 'ost of the money allocated for security de*artments #ill be s*ent on *ay and allo#ances, accommodation and construction of buildings$ 4he allocation is Rs1$" billion more than the Rs" $"8 billion s*ent this year$ 4he break-u* of the allocation sho#s that Rs "7$11 million has been earmarked for the interior division, Rs $77 billion for %slamabad *olice and local administration, Rs8"5$"7 million for *ass*ort outfit and Rs2 $08 billion for civil armed forces$ 4he &rontier -onstabulary #ill get Rs"$51 billion, -oast Euards Rs1$71 billion and Rangers Rs11$ " billion, #hile Rs1$!5 billion has been set aside for Hother’ e.*enditures$ ( sum of Rs7"" million has been allocated for the administration of *ublic order, Rs1 million for *rison administration, Rs8" million fire *rotection and o*eration and Rs1$0" billion for *olice$ ,ignificant *ro3ects to be financed under the P,)P include the %ntegrated Forder 'anagement ,ystem @%F',A for #hich Rs220$"8 million has been allocated$ )uring the year, Rs102 million #ill be s*ent on raising the Falochistan -onstabulary, Rs2" million on conversion of F- into (- areas in Falochistan and Rs100 million on setting u* the /ational &orensic ,cience (gency head8uarters and the %slamabad laboratory$ 4he Pakistan (utomated &inger*rint %dentification ,ystem @P(&%,A Phase-%% has been allocated Rs100 million, *rocurement and installation of a /on-%ntrusive Iehicle J-Ray ,ystem @/I%,A Rs1"0 million, 'achine-Readable Pass*ort and Iisa Pro3ect’s *hase-% Rs50 million and Phase-%% Rs!00 million, construction of accommodation for Fhitai Rangers in ;arachi Rs200 million and for (bdullah ,hah Eha2i Rangers Rs200 million$ ( sum of Rs81$17 million has been allocated for hard#are and soft#are u*grading of the /ational )ata <arehouse at /adra head8uarters, Rs !7 million for the %slamabad develo*ment *ackage, Rs10 million for the construction of a Budicial and (dministration -om*le. in %slamabad, Rs1 7 million for the Po*ulation <elfare Programme and services in %slamabad, Rs100 million for the /ational Res*onse -entre for -yber -rimes Phase-%%, Rs1!$!1 million for allied facilities at the /ational Public ,afety commission building$ Purchase of land and allied facilities under occu*ation Galat ,couts in Falochistan #ill cost Rs120 million and Rs185 million has been earmarked for the ,afe -ity %slamabad Pro3ect$

Causes of increment in it:
9o/ the financial 0ea/ 2011 12? the 8o2e/nment of .a<istan has inc/eased the count/0@s &ilita/0 )udget )0 12 pe/cent. This also includes the 1(> inc/ease in the sala/ies of the emplo0ees. The total amount of the )udget is 1s. !A( )illion? compa/ed to 1s !!2 )illion fo/ the 0ea/ 2010 11. 3n te/m of +SD? the total amount is a)out B (.%( )n. The 9inance &iniste/ :hile 'ustif0ing the inc/ease in the defence )udget said? “Ce li2e in a difficult neigh)ou/hood. Ce a/e faced :ith th/eats to ou/ secu/it0. Ce /emain engaged in a st/uggle fo/ the safet0 of ou/ citi-ens. Ce a/e the 2ictims of :a/ on te//o/ism.” This is a g/eat /ealit0? the 9inance &iniste/ has highlighted. *o:e2e/? the count/0 is conf/onted )0 enemies f/om :ithin as :ell as f/om ac/oss the geog/aphical f/ontie/s of .a<istan. Do: a da0? meeting the inte/nal challenges to the secu/it0 of .a<istan has )ecome mo/e daunting and cost effecti2e than the eEte/nal th/eats. Since the commencement of the so called glo)al :a/ on te//o/ in 2001? and com)at actions against the te//o/ists? .a<istan has )adl0 suffe/ed in te/m of its com)at manpo:e/? :eapons and eFuipments and a)o2e all attac<s on its ci2il and milita/0 installations? pu)lic places and all those ha2ing no connection :ith the :a/ on te//o/. Chile anal0sing the defence )udget? one :ould <no: that? o2e/ the last fe: 0ea/s? the/e has )een a decline in the defence )udget of .a<istan in p/actical te/ms. This is indicati2e f/om the fact that? du/ing 0ea/ 2010 11? in te/m of 8D. sha/e? the defence allocation :as 2.$ pe/cent. Che/eas? despite an inc/ease of 12 pe/cent? the “8D. sha/e of defence allocation fo/ the neEt 0ea/ (2011 12) :ould go do:n to 2.! pe/ cent”? a dec/ease of .2 pe/cent. #s anal0sed )0 Da:n 8/oup of ne:s pape/? “The/e has )een a stead0 decline in defence se/2ices@ slice in the 8D. ca<e o2e/ the 0ea/s.”This decline can )e att/i)uted to inflation? :hich as an a2e/age :as 1!.1 pe/cent and is continuousl0 inc/easing o2e/ the 0ea/s. 72e/ the 0ea/s this p/actice is going on? cont/a/0 to an appa/ent inc/ease in the milita/0 )udget. 3nside Defence )udget? the/e a/e 2a/ious heads. 9i/st is the &inist/0 of Defence itself. 7ut of the total defence outla0 of 1s. (01.,( )illion? 1s. !A( )illion :ould go the &ilita/0 i.e. th/ee se/2ices 2i-G #/m0? Da20 and #i/ 9o/ce. The sha/e of th/ee se/2ices is /ationali-ed )ased on the st/ength of the each se/2ice and the /eFui/ement fo/ the :eapons and eFuipment fo/ a pa/ticula/ 0ea/. #s /e2ealed o2e/ (0 pe/cent of this total &ilita/0 )udget? is eEpended on the emplo0ees@ /elated eEpenditu/es. 1emaining amount is then fu/the/ di2ided into 2a/ious heads. #t the le2el of Defence &inist/0? the #i/po/t Secu/it0 9o/ce? the Su/2e0 of .a<istan? &eteo/olog0 Depa/tment? and 98 schools and colleges also consumes a )ig chun< of the defence )udget. This aspect is

<no:n to 2e/0 fe: people that these depa/tments and othe/s li<e Cont/olle/ of &ilita/0 #ccounts a/e also paid out of defence estimates. 3n the glo)al ma/<et as :ell as domesticall0? o:ing to p/ice hi<e and inflation? e2e/0 0ea/ the cost of the eFuipment; items? essentiall0 needed to )e pu/chased inc/eased /easona)l0. This in tu/n necessitates an inc/ease in the defence )udget? an una2oida)le phenomenon. 9o/ the financial 0ea/ 2011 12? the ope/ating eEpenses of the th/ee se/2ices has )een estimated as 1s. 12,.2, )illion? compa/ed to 1s. 111.2! )illion du/ing 0ea/ 2010 11? :he/eas? the emplo0ees eEpenses (including the 1(> /ise in the sala/ies) has )een estimated as 1s. 20$.( )illion. Simila/l0? the amount fo/ ci2il :o/<s has )een estimated as 1s. !2.$ )illion? :he/eas? ph0sical assets :ould /emain as 1s. 11%.$ )illion fo/ all th/ee se/2ices. Compa/ed to BH! )illion? decla/ed &ilita/0 )udget of 3ndia? passed )0 3ndian .a/liament in 9e)/ua/0 this 0ea/? .a<istani &ilita/0 )udget is 'ust (.%( )illion? :hich indeed is a 2e/0 small. #cco/ding to Stoc<holm 3nte/national .eace 1esea/ch 3nstitute (S3.13) the &ilita/0 5Ependitu/es of 3ndia a/e B!1.H )illion. 3ndia doesn@t disclose its actual defence spending. *o:e2e/? 3ndia /emain the main ad2e/sa/0 of .a<istan? as the/e ha2e )een th/ee :a/s )et:een )oth count/ies and o:ing to 3ndian designs of undoing the .a<istan? as :itnessed in 1A%1? :e cannot )ecome a status Fuo nation. 8i2en the chance? 3ndia :ould go all out to undo .a<istan? the onl0 count/0 /esisting its hegemonic designs in South #sia. Th/ough its alliances :ith the ma'o/ :o/ld po:e/s? and esta)lishing itself in #fghanistan? in the ga/) of so called /e const/uction? 3ndia is posing 2e/0 se/ious th/eats to the secu/it0 of .a<istan f/om its :este/n )o/de/s. Thus :e cannot /emain aloof of all these happenings. Beside 3ndian ill designs? .a<istan? “has constantl0 )een suffe/ing )ecause of the eEisting secu/it0 situation.I #nd as pe/ D/ #)dul *afee- Shai<h? “Ce stand )0 ou/ 2aliant men? :ho a/e la0ing do:n thei/ li2es to safegua/d ou/ count/0.” #s pe/ Stoc<holm 3nte/national .eace 1esea/ch 3nstitute (S3.13)? the/e has )een a uni2e/sal inc/ease in the milita/0 )udget of all count/ies. +nited States has inc/eased its “milita/0 spending )0 ,1 pe/ cent since 2001? and no: accounts fo/ !H pe/ cent of the glo)al total? siE times to its nea/est /i2al China. #t !., pe/ cent of 8D.? +S milita/0 spending in 2010 /ep/esents the la/gest economic )u/den outside the &iddle 5ast.” #s pe/ the latest figu/es p/o2ided )0 S3.13? the top 10 milita/0 spende/s of the :o/ld till 2010 a/e: +nited States (B$A, )illion)? China (B11A )illion)? 8/eat B/itain (B(A.$ )illion)? 9/ance (B(A.H )illion)? 1ussia (B(,.% )illion)? "apan (B(!.( )illion)? Saudi #/a)ia (B!(.2 )illion)? 8e/man0 (B!(.2 )illion)? 3ndia (B!1.H )illion)? and 3tal0 (BH% )illion). 3n the Su) continent? 3ndia has )een spending a huge sum of amount on its milita/0 )udget e2e/ since. Being in the clu) of top ten milita/0 spende/s? the/e has )een a constant inc/ease in the 3ndian defence Budget since last t:o decades. 3ndian is mode/ni-ing its th/ee se/2ices on the line of the milita/ies of +nited States? +nited Jingdom? and 1ussia. Howe er! owing to its wea" economy! #a"istan cannot matc$ t$e Indian defence s%ending& Ne ert$e'ess! it s$ou'd maintain at 'east t$e minimum credib'e deterrence to ensure its safety and security in t$e wa"e of enmity a'' around( domestica''y against e)tremists and terrorists and e)terna''y! t$ose a'so %romote interna' instabi'ity too&

*eference: $tt%:++www&defence&%"+forums+genera',defence+--./01,%a"istan,inside, mi'itary,budget&$tm'

#*E2IOUS 3E4ENCE BU35ETS: %,:('(F() -- Pakistan’s 2010-11 budget, due to be announced Bune ", could hit the *oor hard as the Pakistan Peo*le’s Party @PPPA-led coalition government *ro*oses to end its subsidy regime$

4he *ro*osal also #ould increase Pakistan’s defense budget 17K for 2010-11 from Rs 178 billion to Rs 2 billion$ 4he government is allocating Rs 110 billion for security-related o*erations and Rs 2" billion for internally dis*laced *ersons$

Fut much focus has centred on the subsidy’s elimination$

6( decision has been taken to *ut an end to subsidy on the Eeneral ,ales 4a. @E,4A taking effect Buly 17, an official budget document says$ ,ubsidies on electricity have *rotected the *oor against inflation at a time of income stagnation$

(bolition of the subsidy of the E,4 on electricity #ould mean a considerable increase in *o#er costs for all Pakistani consumers from Buly 1, said )r (bid ,uleri, e.ecutive director of the ,ustainable )evelo*ment Policy %nstitute$

60ne thing that is going to make the u*coming annual budget different from the *revious ones is that the government is bound to im*lement commitments, such as abolition of the subsidy on electricity, given to the %nternational 'onetary &und @%'&A for getting a >11$1 billion loan under a standby arrangement7, he said$

4he %'& has *ressed Pakistan to reform its electricity billing system and end the subsidies$ Pakistan’s ailing economy cannot survive further subsidies on *o#er, gas and other utilities, the %'& and other donors argue$

(nother ma3or change in Pakistan’s annual budget is im*lementation of a controversial valueadded ta. @I(4A beginning Buly 1 and other ne# ta. measures to achieve the ambitious revenue target of Rs 1$7 billion$

4he I(4 is controversial in Pakistan$ 4hree *rovinces L ,indh, ;hyber Pakhtunkh#a and Pun3ab L are not ready to acce*t this ne# ta.$ 4heir chief ministers told Prime 'inister Mousuf Ra2a Eilani recently that the I(4 is not acce*table to them$ 4hey foresee it as a further burden on ta.*ayers that might trigger strong *rotest$

9o#ever, the government is de*endent on %'& loans and sees no other o*tion but to im*lement the I(4 from Buly 1, 2010$ 6(s a *olicy decision, the I(4 #ill be introduced from Buly 1 N and ne# measures #ill also be taken to achieve Rs 1,700 ta. revenue @for the &ederal Fureau of RevenueA7, the budget document said$

6% strongly recommend to the government to im*lement the I(4 from Buly 1, 2010, as it could be the best tool to check ta. evasion besides hauling in ta.es @from those #hoA have been en3oying e.em*tions in the e.isting Eeneral ,ales 4a. @E,4A regime7, )r (shfa8 9asan ;han, former advisor to the ministry of finance, observed$ 0**onents of the I(4 are those 6#ho do not *ay their due ta.es7, he said$

4he I(4 #ill hel* the government substantially increase revenue and have more resources for develo*ment, said /a2ar Eondal, federal minister for food and agriculture$

6% have no doubt that the I(4 is the only tool available to the government to bring all those #ho earn money into the ta. net7, Eondal said$

4he budget document said the economy is gro#ing at a $1K cli* in 200!-10 and estimates total revenue at Rs 2$2 billion, including Rs 1$ billion from the &FR$ 4he document said total e.*enditures for 200!-10 #ill be Rs 2,!27 billion, creating a deficit of Rs 751 billion that the government *lans to *atch through domestic and foreign borro#ing, and grants$

4he government has set *ublic sector develo*ment *rogramme @P,)PA s*ending for 2010-11 at Rs 551 billion$ 4he ma3or share of financial resources @Rs 115 billionA allocated for P,)P 201011 is allocated for infrastructure$ 4he social sector #ill get Rs 12 billion, and trans*ortation and communication #ill receive Rs 70 billion$ )r (bdul 9afee2 ,haikh, advisor on finance, said, 64he ne# strategy #ill make P,)P 2010-11 more result-oriented to ensure *eo*le-centric develo*ment7$

4he P,)P allocation also includes Rs 1"$ billion for #ater-related *ro3ects, including Rs 1" billion for land ac8uisition for the crucial )iamer-Fasha )am$

(rshad (bbasi, a scholar of #ater resources and energy-related *ro3ects, called the P,)P’s sco*e and ne# strategy meaningless #ithout *ro*er oversight$ 4he P,)P can make a difference as far as develo*ment is concerned only #hen it has a strong evaluation and monitoring system to *revent #aste of *ublic funds, he said$

6% recommend that the decision-makers bring in e.*erts and *rofessionals for making P,)P and other *olicy #ork result-oriented7, he said$

Criti is! on Re ently Presente# 3efense Bu#,et" Pakistan 'uslim league @na#a2A recently critici2ed on secret defense budget of !" billion$ %t #as said that in *arliament and in senate it should be discussed as *eo*le #ant to kno# about it that #here this budget #ould be used$ (ccording to *ml @nA it is used for lavish *ur*oses 3ust like to s*end this budget on defense housing authority and other lavish things$

CO5C6789O5

Sponsor Documents

Or use your account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Forgot your password?

Or register your new account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link to create a new password.

Back to log-in

Close