Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said on Monday that the Punjab government has presented a revolutionary budget for the fiscal year 2013-14 in which a number of important measures have been announced for the progress, development and welfare of the masses.
The chief minister, while speaking at a meeting at the CM Secretariat, said that the new provincial budget, which was a masterpiece of development vision, will usher in an era of progress and prosperity. He said that tax has been imposed on the elite while the poor and low-income segments have not been burdened.
He said that new budget will prove to be a roadmap of consolidated development in social sectors and will bring a message of betterment, prosperity and welfare of the people of the province.
Provincial Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Local Government and Law for Rana Sanaullah Khan, Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Advisor Azm-ul-Haq, Secretary Finance, Secretary Information and other concerned authorities were present on the occasion.
Congratulating the provincial finance minister, secretary finance and their entire team on presenting a people-friendly budget, the chief minister said that the excellent and revolutionary budget of Punjab has proved that PML-N government, despite its limited resources, is determined to provide maximum facilities to the masses.
He said that minimum wage of labourers has been enhanced from Rs. nine thousand to Rs.10 thousand and will be gradually increased to Rs. 15 thousand per month.
He said that Punjab government has taken effective measures for bringing affluent classes into tax net which will broaden the tax base and more resources will be available. He said that process of simplicity and austerity has been started from Chief Minister Office and its expenses have been curtailed by 30%.
He said that substantial funds have been allocated for education, health and energy sectors.
He said that the Punjab government will also launch metro bus project in Rawalpindi, Multan and Faisalabad.
The CM said that like the last year, more funds have been earmarked for south Punjab in the new budget, compared to its population. He said that a sum of Rs. 93 billion rupees has been allocated in the budget 2013-14 for the development of south Punjab.
The Chief Minister said that a number of measures have also been announced in the budget for maintaining law and order. He said that 500 sub-inspectors will be recruited in the police department through Public Service Commission on merit who will help in implementation of the government policy of transformation of Thana culture.
Further, he said that a massive sum of Rs. 20.5 billion has been allocated for energy sector in the budget which will help in overcoming energy crisis. In order to provide solar energy and biogas operated tube-wells to small farmers, an amount of Rs. 7.5 billion has been earmarked in the budget.
Shahbaz Sharif said that the government through utilization of its resources and help of private sector will ensure economic development and creation of maximum job opportunities.