Punjab announces Rs1.9 trillion budget

PakistanToday

7 years ago

LAHORE: The Punjab government presents its budget for the fiscal year 2017-18 in the provincial assembly today. The total outlay of the budget is estimated at Rs1,970 billion.

The government employees are expected to receive an ad hoc relief of 10% of their basic salaries.

The budget will be presented in the assembly by Punjab Finance Minister Ayesha Ghous Pasha after its approval by the provincial cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Sources in the provincial finance ministry stated that an amount of Rs635 billion — around 40% of the total budget — has been earmarked for development projects.

Moreover, the Orange Line Metro Train project of Lahore will receive funds amounting to Rs96 billion, sources informed further.

Similarly, the government intends to allocate Rs120 billion for security, Rs57 billion for health, Rs53 billion for schools, Rs18 billion for higher education, Rs30 billion for clean drinking water schemes, Rs17 billion for the Chief Minister’s Rural Programme and Rs4.5 billion for the laptop distribution scheme.

In the financial year 2016-17, the Punjab government presented a budget of around Rs1,681 billion.