PESHAWAR – The Interim Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has prepared a budget of 1400 billion for the new financial year.
However, the government will present only four months of budget tomorrow.
Interim advisor for finance Himayatullah Khan will present the budget in a press conference after approval from the provincial cabinet tomorrow.
An amount of 462 billion has been allocated for current expenditure, 112 billion for development projects, 102 billion for the administrative districts and 59 billion for the tribal districts, while salaries are proposed to be increased by 35% and pension by 17%.
Salaries
In the budget, 192 billion 978 million rupees will be allocated for salaries, 42 billion 361 million rupees for pension, 35 percent increase in salaries of employees from grade 1 to 16 have been proposed and similarly, a 30% increase in the salaries of Grade 17 and above employees has been proposed.
Minimum wage
It is proposed to increase the minimum monthly wage of the laborer from 26 thousand to 32 thousand rupees in the budget.
Pension
It is proposed to increase 17.5pc in pension of retired employees, 50pc in deputation allowance, 100pc in secretariat performance allowance of employees, 100pc in convention allowance of disabled employees.
In the budget, the ration allowance of police officers will be increased, and ban on the purchase of government vehicles is proposed.
Planned Districts
According to the budget document, 402 billion 617 million rupees have been allocated for the planned districts, in which 43 billion 333 million rupees are allocated for the annual development program of the planned districts, and 8 billion 667 million rupees for the local governments of the planned districts.
It is proposed to keep Rs 309 billion 498 million for ongoing expenditure.
Merged Tribal Districts
59 billion 543 million rupees have been allocated for the merged tribal districts, in which it is proposed to keep 8 billion 667 million rupees for the annual development program.
BRT
In the budget, it is proposed to keep one billion rupees as subsidy for BRT.
The budget proposes to exempt former FATA and PATA from taxes for another two years, no new tax will be imposed in the budget, on recruitment, purchase of new vehicles and renovation of government offices and residences. The ban will continue.
Sources have told that in this budget also the taxes and their rates imposed by the previous provincial government will be maintained, the exemption of houses up to 5 marla in property tax will be removed and tax will be collected from houses of 3 marla.
In the provincial headquarters, a tax of Rs. A property tax of Rs 500 to Rs 800 per year will be collected on residential houses in the areas.
