More than a dozen amendments have been registered in the bill on Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer Act, seeking more share for the local level governments in revenue collection. The act is crucial for distribution of revenue and an authority of revenue collection at all three levels of governments.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the provisions in the bill, cross party lawmakers have registered 15 amendments seeking more power for the local level units. The majority of amendments are related to distribution of royalty on the natural resources.

The lawmakers have registered the amendment, seeking to reduce the share of the federal government from 85 to 75 percent, while hiking that of local governments from 5 to 15 percent, according to the Parliament Secretariat. The country has 744 local governments and seven provincial governments which will come into existence from January 21 next year. The amendments have also been filed seeking more power for the local levels units in sharing the tax revenue. Against the proposed 78 percent, 7 percent and 15 percent share to federal, provincial and local governments respectively, the lawmakers have sought to revise it to 68 percent for the federal and 25 percent for the local governments. (pr)