Punjab govt also suggests 15% pay raise for its employees in budget
LAHORE
Punjab budget will be presented during the 40th session of the Punjab Assembly on June 13.
The notification said the budget meeting will be incorporated in the 40th session of the Punjab Assembly.
The total outlay of the provincial budget would be Rs683.50 billion with separate earmarking of Rs31.50 billion for South Punjab.
Sources in the finance department confirmed that no new tax will be levied in the budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 while a special package will be given to combat soaring inflation.
According to the documents, Rs56 billion have been allocated for education while Rs173 billion will be allocated for the health sector.
The government has earmarked Rs78 billion for the construction of roads, Rs58.50 billion for sustainable development projects, and Rs11.95 billion for projects related to the provision of clean drinking water. Further, the government will allocate Rs21 billion for urban development, Rs14.77 billion for the agriculture sector, and Rs27.63 billion for irrigation schemes and projects.
Rs28 billion will be reserved for the planning and development department, Rs4.29 billion for livestock, and Rs6 billion for Information Technology (IT) sector. The government has earmarked Rs4.50 billion for the protection of forests.
Following increase in the salaries of federal government employees suggested in the national budget, the Punjab government, too, is considering proposing 15 percent raise in the salaries of its employees in the budget for the next financial year (2022-23) to be presented day after tomorrow (June 13, 2022–Monday).
The proposal of five percent raise in retired employees’ pensions had also been inserted in the budget document.
They disclosed that the finance department had completed its working in this connection.
Furthermore, they added, a relief package would also be introduced in the budget in view of rising inflation.
Sources explained that steps to control the prices of essential items had also been listed in the money bill which the Punjab government would take to provide relief to the inflation-hit people.
Apart from that, they went on to add, there would be mention of the steps the provincial government would take to conserve energy so that loadshedding hours could be curtailed. However, the sources revealed, no new taxes had been announced in the budget.
Besides that, it had been decided that the ‘Sahulat Package’, which had been announced to provide flour to people at cheaper rates, would continue in the next financial year as well.
Sources claimed that there would be good news not only for the government employees but also for daily wagers in the provincial budget. Large amounts had been allocated for development projects, they told.
As just two days are to go to the presentation of Punjab budget, the decision as to who will present it will be taken in a few hours from now.
Both PML-N and PPP are in consultations with each other over the selection of the provincial finance minister.
While the PPP has put forward the name of Makhdoom Usman for the position, the PML-N has announced the name of Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman as its candidate.
