March 29, 2003	Saturday	Muharram 25, 1424

PESHAWAR, March 28: The NWFP government has moved the Centre for allocating greater share from the collection of central excise duty on tobacco and payment of full capped share amount of Rs6 billion net hydel profit for the financial year 2002-03.

“We have moved the federal government to exclude the central excise duty on tobacco from the federal divisible pool and the amount generated by NWFP under this head should be diverted to us because the province has very limited options to improve its revenue,” said NWFP finance minister Siraj-ul-Haq in reply to a question by Dawn at ‘Mulaqat programme’ of Khyber Union of Journalists here on Friday.

Mr Haq said that NWFP drew 90 per cent of its total annual receipts from the federal government and net hydel profit share released by Wapda.

This heavy dependence, he added, on the external resources could be reduced only if the provincial government was handed over the heads of income and revenue generated from the NWFP.

Similarly, the province has again requested the federal government to ensure full payment of Rs6 billion capped share amount of net hydel profit. In this respect, the minister added, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali in his recent visit to Peshawar had assured the provincial cabinet of realising Rs2 billion shortly.

“What can we say when assurances given by the premier remains unfulfilled,” said Mr Haq. Appreciating the previous NWFP government’s efforts on the net hydel profit issue, the finance minister said the MMA government would not compromise on the rights of the province. It will be ensured that Rs6 billion capped share amount is released to NWFP in total and the multi-billion rupees arrears payable to the province by Wapda will also be secured.