PESHAWAR
Provincial Finance Minister Aftab Alam in his winding up speech on budget debate for the financial year 2024-25, in the Speaker Babar Salim Swati in chair on Tuesday said that there is no restriction in the law that the province cannot present the budget before the federal government.
Responding the criticism of the opposition, Minister Finance Aftab Alam said that the budget has been made in the same proportion as the 14 percent that is made in NFC.
He said that after the merger, the share of our province has increased from fourteen to 19 percent which is not being given to us.
We will get Rs902 billion at the ratio of 14 percent and Rs260 billion at the ratio of 19 percent, he added.
Aftab Alam said that in 2023 census, the proportion of our province has increased more.
The BRT project will become a sustainable project once its all the projects are completed, said Alam.
He said that if the federal government does not provide full funds for the tribal districts, then the funds of the province will be used there to provide facilities to people.
Rs2 billion has been allocated for Chashma Lift Bank Canal and can give more money for this project in future, Alam informed the House.
He said that three projects of PEDO will be completed and start working in August this year.
He further informed the House that under AGM Qazi formula, our hydropower profit will be Rs1,800 billion
“Under the 2016 agreement, our hydropower arrears due to the federation is Rs 111 billion.”
Like Swat Expressway, work will also be done on DI Khan Motorway.
Earlier, Parliamentary Leader of PPP Ahmad Karim Kundi said that the NFC award 2009 and 18 constitutional amendments were revolutionary measures after the 73rd constitution in the country.
Ahmed Karim Kundi said that if the seventh NFC award was not there, today the province would have received Rs500 billion instead of Rs900 billion.
Out of Rs1,754 billion, the province’s own income is only Rs93 billion, Ahmad Kundi said.
He said that the provincial government wants to solve every problem by force., adding problems will be solved by expediency and understanding instead of power.
In PTI’s central government, the province received only Rs80 billion in terms of net profit of electricity, Kundi criticized the government.
He said that real profit of electricity is the constitutional right of this province.
In ten years, only fifty megawatt projects were built in the province, said Ahmad Karim Kundi It is estimated to receive Rs40 billion from the rest of the provinces for the former FATA, Kundi told the House.
He said that the provinces will give money for former FATA as it is not written in any document. The government is requested to bring institutional reforms instead of the royal decree, said Ahmad Karim Kundi
If reforms are brought, they will support this so-called state of Medina, Ahmad Karim Kundi said. May 28, Takbeer Day is not only the credit of scientists, politicians have played an important role in this, Ahmad Kundi said.
First Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and then Nawaz Sharif gets credit for it, he said.
The party should appreciate the good work, whatever it is, Ahmad Kundi concluded. Sobia Shahid of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz said that Nawaz Sharif made Pakistan’s defense impregnable by detonating nuclear weapons on May 28.
She said that the projects started by Jamaat-e-Islami MPA in Dir, have been canceled by the KP government
She said that the university which was inaugurated by Imran Khan in Dir has been abolished. A Special Assistant has been appointed from Dir but it has been completely ignored.
If the people of Dir are not given their right, I will attack the Chief Minister’s House together with the people, she said.
Makhdoomzada Aftab Haider of JUIF, said that Rs362 billion have been allocated for education, but the children of teachers themselves are enrolled in private schools.
He said that no candidate of KP visible in CSS examination. Rs332 billion is allocated for health but the hospital in my area does not even give an injection, he said. He said that the health card does not include any government or private hospital in the two tehsils of my constituency in Dera Ismail Khan.
He said that nothing special for KP police salary in budget. The salaries of government employees should be increased by 50 percent instead of 10 percent, said Haider. The DIC has oppressed the province by taking a loan of Rs632 billion during 10 years, Aftab Haider added.
Meanwhile, the House also passed a resolution moved by Abdus Salam Afridi of SIC with majority against the inclusion of retired judges in election tribunal.
Later, the Speaker Babar Salim Swati adjourned the proceedings till Wednesday 2pm.
