Punjab, Balochistan budgets to be presented today

Islamabad: The budget of Punjab and Balochistan will be presented today (Monday) in the respective provinces.

According to details, the meeting of the caretaker cabinet under the chairmanship of caretaker chief minister Punjab Mohsin Raza Naqvi has been called.

In the meeting, the cabinet members will review the four-month budget of 2023. It will also approve the expenses of four months and other matters.

After the budget meeting, Chief Minister Naqvi himself or Information Minister Aamir Meer will give a briefing on the budget.

It has been proposed to allocate more than 325 billion rupees for the four-month development program of Punjab, which will be spent on the already ongoing development schemes.

While, 20 billion rupees for health card, 27 billion rupees for projects supported by foreign funding, for agriculture 20 billion rupees.

Over 100 billion rupees for health and education have been proposed. Out of which Rs70 billion in four months for health, Rs28 billion for school education, Rs10 billion for higher education, Rs1 billion for development projects for special education.

Moreover, Rs12 billion for urban development, Rs7 billion for clean water and sewage drainage schemes, Rs6 billion for transport, Rs1.5 billion for emergency services have been propsed.

On the other hand, Balochistan's Finance Minister Zamrik Khan Achakzai will present the budget of more than Rs700 billion for the next financial year.

According to details, no new taxes will be introduced in the budget. There is also a possibility of 30% increase in the salaries of the employees.

In the budget, more than 200 billion rupees are likely to be allocated for development projects, while 500 billion rupees are likely to be allocated for non-development projects.

It has been reported that the budget deficit is likely to be Rs150 billion. Education, health, agriculture and aviation sectors will be prioritized in the budget.

More than 5000 new posts are expected to be announced in various departments for the coming financial year.

It is likely that 90 billion rupees will be allocated for education, 60 billion rupees for health, 53 billion rupees for peace and security, Rs1 billion for endowment fund and Rs5.8 billion for health card.

The budget is likely to increase the salaries and pensions of government employees on the lines of the federal government.