RAWALPINDI, May 21: Acting President Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Raja Amer Iqbal said the current energy crisis must be addressed in the upcoming budget and funds for some mega projects should be allocated.

“Only 1.9 million people are paying tax in the country out of over 180 million. Solid steps must also be taken to improve the tax net,” he stated this while speaking at a pre-budget seminar organised by the National Labour Federation Pakistan (NLFP) here on Monday. President NLFP Shamsur Rehman Swati, Former provincial minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sirajul Haq, former member FBR Sarfraz Ahmed Khan and other economists were also present on the occasion.

Raja Amer Iqbal said the country was dependent on thermal source for energy which was very costly and unviable for the industry. He demanded of the government to allocate maximum funds for mega hydro power projects of energy generation in the next budget.

He suggested that number of tax payers must be increased to 4 million and government should also reduce its non-developmental expenditures and spend more on the uplift schemes for the masses.

The acting president said the manufacturing sector was paying 62 per cent of the taxes while it was having a share of 25 per cent in the GDP and if the situation persisted, it would damage the industry.