Punjab, Sindh to present budgets today

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Punjab and Sindh will present their budget today. Photo: File

KARACHI/LAHORE: The Sindh and Punjab government will present their financial budgets for the year 2019-20 today.

Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht will present the budget in the provincial assembly while Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah who also holds the portfolio of finance minister will present the budget in the assembly.

According to sources, Punjab’s financial budget for the year is Rs2,550 billion out of which Rs350 billion have been allocated for development projects and Rs2,200 billion for non-developmental projects.

Sources further said an increase in the salary of government employees has been proposed along the same lines as federal employees. A 10 per cent increase has been proposed for grade 16 employees while a five per cent increase has been recommended for grade 17 to 20. No increase has been proposed for grade 20 and 21 officers.

Punjab's new budget also includes a proposal for completing mega projects under the public-private partnerships, while the finance department has declared new budget tax-free and a surplus of Rs200 billion.

The new budget also has increased the rate of pre-existing taxes and departments have been emphasised to reduce non-developmental expenditure, sources added.

Sources added provincial departments will be obligated to take permission for expenses including vehicles, furniture and other beforehand.

Sindh budget

According to sources, an increase of Rs7 billion has been proposed in the budget for the public health engineering department, increasing it to Rs20billion.

Eight new schemed have also been proposed in the new budget in addition to continuing the 58 schemes.

The budget also proposed setting up water testing labs in 17 districts. Water testing plants have been proposed to be set-up in Umarkot, Jamshoro, Larkana, Badin, Dadu and Qambar Shahdadkot. Rs290 million have been allocated for water treatment plants, sources added.

Sources further said, Rs2 billion have been allocated to set up solar power plants for schools and hospitals.

The budget also proposes, allocating Rs1,602 million for transferring water supply schemes to solar system.

The budget also recommends allocating Rs165 million to restore 16 schemes of supply, sources added.