MULTAN (APP): Excise, Taxation and Narcotics department has sent suggestions to the provincial government for imposition of entertainment tax on cinemas. Director Excise and Taxation, Abdullah Khan told APP here on Sunday the Excise department Punjab had sought suggestions about entertainment tax. He said the film association was demanding five percent tax and five years relaxation on new cinemas while the department suggested inspection of cinemas should be ensured, minimum seven percent tax and one year relaxation on new cinemas. He said negotiations between the government and association were underway. He hoped that entertainment tax would likely to be imposed from February 1st, adding that currently 15 cinemas are functioning in Multan City. About property tax survey, the Director Excise said the process of bringing new buildings into tax net was in progress. He said the survey would be completed by the end of June through various phases. He said that in first phase they had sought documentation from the building owners while door to door marking would be made in second phase. He said the new property tax would be imposed from July 1st. It is to be mention here that the property survey was being conducted after five years.

Prices of sugar, oil, flour to decrease from Jan 7

KARACHI (NNI): The prices of essential food items will go down from January 7 (Tuesday) as the government has announced a Rs6 billion relief package for the Utility Stores Corporation. The subsidy on prices will be implemented at more than 4,300 Utility Stores across the country. For food items such as sugar, flour, lentils, rice and ghee, a monthly subsidy of Rs10 million will be given. This means that sugar and flour prices will go down by Rs5, and prices of lentils and rice will decrease by Rs10. Cooking oil and ghee will be available for Rs20 less. The prices of at least 1,000 essentials including cosmetics and spices will also go down, according to the package.

Farmers advised to complete sunflower cultivation by Feb 15

LAHORE (APP): The Punjab agriculture department has advised the farmers of south and north Punjab to complete sunflower cultivation by January 31 and February 15, respectively. A spokesman for the department said on Sunday, farmers of south Punjab including Dera Gazi Khan, Rajanpur, Bahawalpur, RY Khan, Multan, Vehrai, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran and Bhakkar have been advised to sow sunflower till January 31st. The farmers of north Punjab including Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Jhang, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Attock, Okara, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Lahore, Mandi Bahuddin, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Gujrat and Chakwal have been advised to cultivate sunflower crop from January 15 to February 15. He urged the farmers to use sunflower hybrid varieties with timely cultivation to get a good yield.

The spokesman said that under Prime Minister Agriculture Emergency Programme, this year the Punjab government was also providing subsidy of Rs 5000 on per acre cultivation of sunflower. Maximum cultivation of Sunflower would help in reducing the country’s import bill, he added.

The Nation