The Sindh budget 2011-12 is a balanced and worker-friendly as government employees and pensioners will get major relief from increase in salaries and pension, said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-Sindh Women Wing Information Secretary Sharmila Farooqi. In a statement issued on Monday, the former adviser to Sindh chief minister said that the tax-free, surplus budget is a good omen in the present situation and significant raise in allocation of education and health funds would provide greater benefit to people belonging to lower class.
“The tax-free Rs 457.5 billion budget has shown an estimated surplus of Rs882 million, which is laudable, she said.
“The budget for education has been increased by 15 percent which is a great achievement as it will bring major development in education sector. The government will appoint 80,000 new teachers in schools; establish 300 new schools and restore 124 primary schools across the province, while major steps will also be taken to ensure quality education at all levels, particularly in universities,” said Farooqi.
“The share of local government funds has been increased from Rs 120.815 billion to Rs 135.171 billion, which will provide major relief to people belonging to rural areas at local government level.
“The National Finance Commission (NFC) Award had increased Sindh’s sales tax on services by 140 per cent, while the right to collect the tax is also a landmark achievement of the NFC award.
“The provincial government has also allocated Rs 4.175 billion for provision of safe drinking water and sanitation schemes while sufficient funds have been allocated for development of Karachi and other major cities of Sindh,” said Farooqi.
The PPP-Sindh Women Wing information secretary also said that 335 acres of land have been allocated for the new city of Zulfikarabad to be established along the coastal belt of Thatta.
