PESHAWAR, March 21: The NWFP government collected a total of Rs 1.8 billion under various heads of provincial own receipts (PORs) during the first seven months of the current financial year, according to sources.

The revenue collected is however only 48 per cent of the Rs 3.75 billion annual target for this financial year, and now requires the revenue collection authorities to set their target at Rs 1.95 billion for the remaining five months.

This figure was thought to be an improvement in revenue collection compared to the corresponding period of the previous financial year, said an official source. Revenue shortfalls were also recorded under some of the receipts heads falling under the jurisdiction of the Excise and Taxation department.

NWFP Chief minister Akram Khan Durrani, during a meeting recently held to review last years PORs, took exception to the revenue shortfall and directed the revenue collecting agencies to improve their performance during this year.