LAHORE, June 18: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi announced on Wednesday withdrawal of increase in transfer fee and token tax on motorcycles and small cars. The increase had been announced in the budget for 2003-04.

Participating in the debate on budget in the Punjab Assembly, the chief minister admitted that the raise in the levies was a wrong decision, as small cars and motorcycles were modes of conveyance for the lower-middle class.

About complaints of levying flat water rate for all kinds of land, he said there was some confusion being created about it. The step had been taken to reduce the role of patwaris, he said, adding that the tax would be proportionate to the water consumption.

He said the government was bound to ensure water supply to the growers at tail-ends. “If there will be some delay in the supply, the government will announce a special package of cut in water rate for them.”

He told the house that as the government alone could not provide jobs to all the unemployed, it would encourage industrialization for the creation of jobs on a large scale. The government would soon announce an industrial policy that would offer special incentives to the investors, Mr Elahi said.

Urging the MPAs to point out more anomalies in the budget, he assured them that their proposals would be given due consideration and incorporated in the budget.

Earlier, the chief minister criticized the opposition for boycotting the budget session as a protest against the LFO and not taking interest in the law-making process in the house. “They have so far received Rs5 million just for thumping desks,” he added.

He said the opposition should have participated in the budget debate to put forth problems of their respective electorate. “But they have no commitment for the province. They await phone calls of their leaders sitting abroad and act upon their directions without thinking over it,” he said.

He reminded the opposition that it was also answerable to its voters.

Referring to the opposition’s protest, he asked if they had not contested the polls under the LFO.

Amid clapping by the treasury benches, he said the incumbent assemblies would complete their terms, and the opposition would not be in a position to harm the system and democracy.

The chief minister said he believed in consultation and wanted to take the opposition along in this process.