Lahore: Punjab government has allocated separate development funds worth Rs. 189 billion for South Punjab.

While presenting the budget in provincial assembly, provincial Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht said that Punjab government is proposing to allocate a hefty amount of about Rs. 1 billion for the development of Cholistani areas in Southern Punjab which will be spent on improving infrastructure and water reservoirs.

“In addition, it is proposed to allocate Rs. 150 million for locust control,” he said adding that the present government will also provide documentary evidence of equitable distribution of resources by the in the coming days.

The Punjab government Monday presented its third budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 with an estimated outlay of Rs2.653 trillion, an 18 per cent increase and record development allocations.

Provincial Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, who is presenting the budget in the provincial assembly amid slogans and uproar from opposition benches, claimed the government has earmarked record development budget of Rs560 billion with 66 percent increase.

Earlier, the Punjab cabinet approved the budget 2021-22, revised estimates of outgoing fiscal year and the Punjab Finance Bill 2021-22 with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in the chair.