LAHORE – Punjab Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghous Pasha on Friday presented fifth provincial budget Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for upcoming fiscal year 2017-18 with total outlay of Rs1.977 trillion.
The budget session was presided over by Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan, and also attended by Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
The provincial minister said that the budget for the next fiscal year has the largest development programme amounting to Rs635 billion. She added that it was unprecedented in the country’s history among all provinces.
“The development budget is 15 per cent more than the current fiscal year,” Dr Ayesha said in her budget speech.
Earlier, the provincial cabinet approved the budget in a meeting presided over by CM Shehbaz Sharif.
Agriculture
- The government has allocated 20 billion for agriculture in the province.
Development Programs
- Rs635 billion allocated for annual development program.
- Rs 95 billion for roads.
- Rs57 billion have been allocated for Water and sanitation.
Health
- A total of 341 billion have been allocated for education in Punjab.
- Rs57 billion have been fixed for health sector.
- Rs 20 billion have been fixed for DHQs, THQs.
- Primary healthcare will get a Rs1 billion boost in the next fiscal year.
- An amount of Rs 20.4126 billion has been allocated in the fiscal year 2017-18 for the provision of free medicines.
Salaries & Pension
A 10 per cent raise has been made in the salaries and pension of provincial government employees.
Education
- Rs52.35 billion will be allocated for school education.
- A sum of Rs230 billion has been set aside for District Education Authorities.
- Rs28 billion have been fixed for providing basic facilities at government schools.
- Rs6.03 billion have been set aside for construction of new classrooms in Punjab schools.
Industries
A sum of Rs7.567 billion has been allocated for industries in the proposed budget.
- TEVTA will receive about Rs5.054 billion as grant-in-aid, and an amount of Rs145.575 million has been reserved for Headquarters Establishment.
- An amount of Rs179.354 million has been reserved for Inspectorate of Mines, whereas the Punjab Small Industries Corporation will get Rs1.420 billion as grant-in-aid.
- Punjab Skills Development Project will receive Rs43.354 million. Sasti Roti Authority will receive Rs8.799 million and Rs180.397 million will be spent on the regional establishment.
