KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah presented a budget of 3.056 trillion rupees for the next financial year in which the salaries have been increased by 22 to 30 percent.
Sindh Assembly session started under the chairmanship of Speaker Owais Qadir Shah. The Sindh Finance Ministry has been kept by the Chief Minister. The chief minister presented the budget for the new financial year in the assembly, which is Rs 3.056 trillion.
While delivering the budget speech, the Chief Minister announced to increase the salaries of government employees by 22 to 30 percent and pension by 15 percent and fixed the minimum wage in the province at 37 thousand rupees. The Chief Minister said that the purpose of increase in salary and pension is to strengthen financial security.
He said that the total expected revenue of the province is 3 trillion rupees, federal transfers are 62 percent and provincial receipts are 22 percent, current capital receipts are 22 billion rupees and foreign project assistance is 334 billion rupees, federal grants are 77 billion in PSDP, Foreign grants of Rs.6 billion and carryover cash balance of Rs.55 billion are included, provincial receipts of Rs.662 billion include sales tax on services of Rs.350 billion.
He said that apart from GST of 269 billion rupees, taxes and provincial non-tax receipts of 42.9 billion rupees are included, 63 percent i.e. 1.9 trillion rupees goes to current revenue, 6 percent i.e. 184 billion rupees to current capital and the remaining 31 percent. That is, 959 billion rupees are earmarked for development expenditure, the largest share of salaries is 38 percent, followed by grants 27 percent for various programs, non-salary expenditure 21 percent includes operational expenses, transfers, interest payments and repairs. .
The Chief Minister said that the proposed significant development expenditure of Rs 959 billion is 31 percent of the expenditure, the balanced budget is mainly focused on the rehabilitation of flood affected people and social security for the poor, pension and retirement benefits of employees is the remaining of the current expenditure. 14 percent, current capital expenditure includes 42 billion rupees for debt repayment, 142.5 billion rupees for other payments and government investment.
The Chief Minister of Sindh said that in terms of development expenses, 493 billion rupees are for foreign project assistance in the provincial ADP, 334 billion rupees are allocated for foreign project assistance, 77 billion rupees are included in other federal grants through PSDP. In the budget, 55 billion rupees have been allocated for district ADP, investment in social services has been prioritized in the provincial budget of Sindh.
Murad Ali Shah said that education gets the most 519 billion rupees, of which 459 billion is for current revenue expenses, 334 billion rupees are set aside for health, of which 302 billion rupees are allocated for current expenses, local government 329 billion rupees. Among the top three with the proposed budget, the budget also allocates important resources for the important sectors of basic infrastructure, 58 billion rupees for agriculture including 32 billion rupees for current expenditure.
He said that 62 billion rupees have been allocated for ongoing expenses including 77 billion rupees for energy, 36 billion rupees have been allocated for current expenses including 94 billion rupees for irrigation, 86 billion rupees for works and services and 30 billion rupees for planning and development. 56 billion rupees have been allocated for transport, 86 billion rupees have been allocated for works and services, 153 billion rupees have been allocated for SG&CD, and 194 billion rupees have been included for admission.
Relief measures
While presenting the details of relief measures, the Chief Minister said that social and economic welfare has been given priority in the provincial budget of Sindh, an important amount of Rs. 34.9 billion is being allocated to help the poor, the financial burden on citizens in the budget. 116 billion rupees subsidies program is included to reduce, 25 billion rupees will be allocated for housing schemes to promote safe shelter.
He said that the provincial budget of Sindh is focusing on immediate relief measures, many new measures have been taken for the development of the economy and social welfare of the province.
Lose the card
The Chief Minister said that 8 billion rupees are being allocated to provide financial assistance to farmers of 12 million rupees, 5 billion rupees have been allocated to build an enclave complex in Malir Express Korangi, in this complex education, rehabilitation, training, housing, Medical services, recreation and other facilities will be provided. For the first time in the police, a specific budget has been allocated for 485 police stations. For solarization initiative, 5 billion rupees will be allocated in five years.
He said that 5 billion rupees have been allocated for the construction of a new canal like Hub Canal to supply water to Karachi, 5 billion rupees are being allocated for workers in Sindh under the Labor Card, 11 billion rupees have been kept in the budget for agriculture. 12 billion rupees have been allocated for social security, 3.2 billion rupees for universities and boards, 2 billion rupees for housing and town planning and 1.5 billion rupees for DEPD.
Grants in Aid:
The Chief Minister said that in the Sindh budget, investment has been prioritized through important grants for education and health, the total amount of major grants is 190 billion rupees, 35 billion rupees have been allocated for the universities across Sindh. , the funding is aimed at strengthening educational institutions and improving access to quality health services.
Payment of debts
The Sindh government will spend 6 billion 73 crore rupees on debt repayment in the next financial year. In terms of provincial revenues, 268 billion 96 crore rupees will be received. The target of provincial sales tax on services has been set at 350 billion rupees. The provincial sales tax is Rs 120 billion more than Rs 230 billion in the previous financial year.
The target of non-tax income of the province has been set at 42 billion 94 crore rupees, the non-tax income this year was 77 billion 77 crore 90 lakh rupees. The government of Sindh will spend 6 billion 73 crore rupees on debt repayment in the next financial year and the government of Sindh will receive a loan of 14 billion 89 crore 42 lakh rupees in the next financial year.
Important points of the budget:
22 to 30 percent increase in salaries
Increase in pension up to 15%
Minimum wage fixed at 37 thousand rupees
A new canal will be constructed from the hub for water to Karachi, 5 billion rupees allocated
Hari Card introduced for the welfare of workers, 5 billion rupees allocated
5 billion rupees allocated for solar home scheme in Sindh
11 billion rupees allocated in the budget for the development of agriculture
12 billion rupees will be spent on social welfare