Federal Finance Minister Announces Subsidies for Small Farmers, Highlights Tax Reforms

Islamabad (Daily Qudrat): **Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb** announced that the government will provide **subsidies to small farmers**, noting that middlemen often exploit them. He stated that **instructions have been issued to the State Bank and other financial institutions** to support these initiatives.

Responding in the National Assembly to concerns about widespread **tax evasion and poor revenue collection**, the minister said that **income tax collection has increased by 28 percent** and reforms are showing tangible improvements.

He added that **198 billion rupees were collected from retailers and wholesalers**, and technology is being increasingly used to enhance tax collection. The **tobacco sector** has also seen a rise in tax revenue.

Overall, revenue collection has increased by **27 percent**, and the **tax-to-GDP ratio is expected to reach 11 percent** this year. The minister emphasized that ongoing **FBR reforms** are improving revenue collection, and the government is **broadening the tax base**, with a focus now on the **cement and sugar industries**.