PESHAWAR, June 2: The NWFP Assembly, through a unanimously adopted resolution here on Monday, demanded of the federal government  to increase provinces’ share from the  federal divisible pool to 60 per cent under the new national finance commission.

The  two-page resolution also called upon the  federal government to consider prevalence of poverty as a parameter side- by-side population for the distribution of resources from the federal divisible pool (FDP) under the new National Finance Commission (NFC) award.

The ruling and opposition benches in the assembly showed unanimity over the issue and joined hands to unanimously adopt the resolution which also asked the federal government to ensure regular payment of net hydel profit to the province in addition to asking for uncapping of the net hydel profit share from the next financial year to help the province to overcome its pressing financial crisis.

“ Provincial  assembly also demands that  the  federal government, being a guarantor, should make it binding on the Water and Power Development Authority to pay monthly instalments of net hydel profit share to the NWFP in line with a decision of the Council of Common Interests so that financial crisis hampering the development and non-development activities of the provincial government could be put and end,” contained the resolution.

The draft of the unanimously adopted resolution was drafted by a committee of the provincial government involving members of the ruling and opposition benches to send a strong message to the Centre for ‘securing’ the rights of the province to improve its financial health and infrastructure.

The  provincial assembly also demanded of  the  federal government  that electricity arrears payable by  the  NWFP government’s departments should not be forcefully recovered through at source deduction from the NWFP’s net hydel profit account by Wapda.

“At source deduction should be avoided to strengthen mutual confidence  and  brotherly relations  between  the  parties concerned,” contained the unanimously adapted resolution, adding that “net hydel profit share is not only the right of the province duly covered by the Constitution, delay in releasing funds of net hydel profit share has resulted in an unending financial crisis in the province.”

The province was being deprived of its due constitutional right due to non-payment of full amount of net hydel profit share to the province.

The house, under the resolution, also laid claim to Rs 298 billion receivable from Wapda on account of arrears accumulated against it due to non-payment of full amount of net hydel profit to the province since 1973.

The resolution also referred to a decision of the Council of Common Interests and instructions issued by the president for payment of full amount of net hydel profit to the NWFP.

“The provincial assembly is of the view that Wapda should pay Rs 15 billion every year to the province on account of its share of net hydel profit in place of the capped share amount of Rs six billion,” the resolution said, adding that “delayed disbursement of funds even from the capped share amount has lend negative effect to the NWFP’s annual budget”.

It added that “in view of the frequently effect increase in electricity tariff and depreciation of the Pakistani rupee over the years, this assembly also demands of the federal government that it should convene the meeting of the new NFC at the earliest to uncap the net hydel profit share”.

The unanimously adapted resolution also sought major upward revision in the provinces’ share under the federal divisible pool.

The assembly demanded that the federating units’ share under the divisible resources should be increased from the existing 37.5 per cent to 60 per cent under the new NFC award.

For this, the resolution said, incidence of poverty should also be considered side by side population for the distribution of resources between the federating units from the divisible pool.

“Incidence of poverty is of highest ratio in the NWFP in comparison with the remaining federating unit, hence, it is imperative that the new NFC should also give take this as a factor for the distribution of resources to help the Frontier over come rising poverty,” contained the resolution.