LAHORE: The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has finalised arrangements for setting up its state-of-the-art training academy to function soon after April 10 with an aim to build capacity of its technical and field staff.

To be based at the PRA Operations Headquarters in Lahore, the academy will have virtual learning environment about tax collection procedures.

Around 200 officers and officials working in the PRA across the province and 28 newly-inducted enforcement inspectors and legal officers will be imparted training about procedures of sales tax on services and infrastructure development cess at the academy in different phases.

PRA’s Additional Commissioner (Headquarters) Shahzad Mehmood Gondal told Dawn on Friday that the initiative had been taken on the advice of PRA chairperson Dr Raheel Siddiqi keeping in view the capacity issues of the staff.

He said the authority had framed modules for training courses which would be run under the philosophy of mix of training and job, adding the inauguration of the academy is expected before April 10.

He said since its creation in 2012, the authority has been endeavoring to engage and develop a professionally trained workforce to achieve its intended objectives, adding the PRA has devised a comprehensive resource development strategy including the establishment of PRA training academy.

Mr Gondal said the aim was to attain professional excellence through capacity building, training, dedication and commitment.

The academy would be responsible for imparting quality training to the officers and the staff of PRA and other tax collecting departments and agencies of the Punjab government, he added.

The additional commissioner said the academy would also conduct research on issues of tax policy, administration and management, adding that apart from exposing trainees to the conceptual dimensions of tax regime, and training content would also include the practical dimensions of tax collection and administration.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2017