PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has received Rs433.67 million on account of tobacco cess for the year 2018-19while proposed shares of each tobacco growing district has been worked out as per given formula.

A meeting of the committee for utilisation of the Tobacco Development Cess (TDC) met here on Friday with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair. It approved allocation and release of TDC funds for the year 2018-19.

The committee while agreeing to the proposed shares of districts accorded the approval for releasing funds to the relevant constituencies, according to an official statement.

The meeting also discussed matters related to utilisation of cess funds in different sectors.

The chief minister said that TDC funds should be utilised for necessary development activities as per rules. He stressed the need for making the TDC rules 2007 more effective and directed the authorities concerned for revising the relevant rules. He said proposals of the committee members should be incorporated in the revised rules.

He said that main aim of such an exercise was to ensure result-oriented use of funds. He also directed the authorities for immediate release of TDC funds arrears of 2017-18 to some constituencies.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2021