LAHORE, May 7: Punjab Finance, Planning and Development (P&D) Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira says the government will try its utmost not to levy any new tax in the forthcoming budget.

Talking to a group of reporters here on Wednesday, the minister said the coalition government would improve the existing tax collection system and widen the tax net for generating extra revenue to initiate welfare-oriented projects instead of levying new taxes.

He said the government had inherited food crisis, price-hike and deteriorated law and order, but it would leave no stone unturned to reverse the situation and resolve the problems the masses were facing.

Untiring efforts were needed to overcome the problems and both the coalition partners, the PPP and PML-N, were determined to settle all issues besides facilitating masses, he said.