close
Friday March 29, 2024

Sindh cabinet decides to impose farm tax instead of Abiana

By Our Correspondent
May 22, 2018

The Sindh cabinet on Monday decided to properly impose agriculture income tax on farmers of the province instead of the current system of Abiana (water charges on farm land).

With Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in chair, the cabinet held its meeting at the new Sindh Secretariat building. The agriculture income tax will be imposed on farmers having at least 50 acres of farm land or annual agricultural income of no less than Rs1.2 million.

The meeting also decided to amend the Arms Act to do away with the condition that a citizen cannot possess more than four weapon licences. Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah told the media later that the cabinet had decided to amend the Arms Act to allow any applicant to have as many licences as needed. He said the deadline for applying for computerisation of licences has been increased to December.

The minister said the cabinet meeting also took note of collection of hefty tuition fees for the summer vacation months by private schools in advance. He said they will legislate to prevent private schools from collecting undue tuition fees, adding that the cabinet has authorised the education minister and secretary as well as other relevant government officials to scrutinise the issue.

He termed the decision to impose agriculture income tax instead of Abiana a big step. The demand of a proper farm tax has been raised a number of times in the Sindh Assembly and has always been part of the agenda and manifesto of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

Caretaker set-up

Shah said the CM and PA opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan are yet to consult each other on the names suggested by the two sides for the incoming caretaker set-up in Sindh. The minister said that not all of the names being reported in the media as probable nominees for the slot of caretaker CM are authentic.

Replying to a query, he said Punjab has been the recipient of a major portion of the federal budget, which is why so much progress and development has been seen in the social sector of the province.

A day earlier, it was reported that the cabinet meeting’s agenda will include three bills passed by the provincial legislature during its previous session but were returned by the governor’s office without his assent. These are the Grant of Charter to Government College University, Hyderabad; Shaikh Ayaz University, Shikarpur and Nusrat Bhutto Women University, Sukkur bills.