PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday passed a Rs 1332 billion budget for the financial year 2022-23 through 64 demands for grant (DFG).
On the occasion the opposition members withdrew their cut motions on the request of treasury benches, while the government assured them to resolve their grievances amicably.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister Mahmood Khan congratulated the Finance Minister and his team over the passage of finance bill 2022 and said the provincial government presented a balanced budget in the history of the province.
Referring to the MMA and ANP governments in the province, he said that in past the road projects remained delayed, adding that the two major political parties of the country PMLN and PPP took heavy loans from IMF 20 times in 40 years.
He said that unfortunately the former Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted from the government since he defended independent foreign policy and hinted at not taking loans from IMF.
As a result of this, he said that the price of US dollar increased manifold while the power crisis coupled with an unprecedented increase in power tariff and petroleum products, witnessed inflation in the country.
The CM said the federal and provincial governments should not impose a ban on transportation of wheat to KP province, adding that KP people have rights on the country’s resources.
He reiterated to fight for the rights of the province, saying that the developmental schemes related to KP especially merged districts were withdrawn from federal PSDP.
The CM commenting on the budget said that 33 percent of the development budget was being given to the people while Rs 200 billion would directly been spent on public welfare initiatives including Insaf Health Card, Insaf Food Card, Kisan Card, Wheat Subsidy, stipend for Ulemas, Education Card, free IT trainings for youth, free medicines, soft loans and free education for school children.
He said the provincial government succeeded in increasing the annual revenue from RS 30 billion to 75 billion, besides creating 1.8million jobs and increasing the literacy rate by 55 percent from 52 percent.
He said that FATA merger was a big challenge and PTI government successfully accomplished it, adding that due to the historic step public representatives from tribal districts were given representation in the House.
He said for the first time in the history the government held local government elections in the tribal districts and also approved laws in this regard and allocated Rs 130 billion budget for tribal districts.
He said that the tribal people would not be deprived of the Health Card Facility.
Mahmood Khan said that 3167 doctors were recruited in the province, liver, kidney and neuro surgeries and other diseases were given cover under the health card facility.
He further said that 45,000 teachers were recruited while 25,000 were being added to the system. Similarly 38 colleges would be made operational in merged districts while universities would be established in Shangal, Dir, Hangu and Bajaur.
He said that the 313 mw Balakot power project would soon be inaugurated while work on other power projects in Kalam, Madain, Bhatta, Kundi and Batlatan were underway.
The CM said work on Swat Express Phase-II will start soon while the the tender for Dir expressway has been opened and work will start within three months.
He further said the government was negotiating loans for construction of the Dera-Peshawar motorway which would connect the whole province with CPEC project.
Regarding CRBC Lift canal project, he informed the House that it had been cleared by the Communication and Works department and with Rs 240 billion the project would be initiated that would bring 400,000 acre of land under cultivation.
He said that Peshawar new valley would be launched soon, adding that land procurement was under process on land sharing basis.
He said that Rs 418 billion has been allocated for the development budget, adding that 63000 employees would be regularized in the province, the minimum wage has increased to Rs 26,000 monthly.
