The recently presented Rs 1.681 trillion Punjab budget sheds light on the top most priorities of the government. The budget envisages the creation of 500,000 jobs and outlays Rs 500 billion in the development sector. A large part of the budget focuses on the social sector as 31 per cent of the total resources are allocated to this sector, followed by infrastructure 29 per cent and services sector 20 per cent. The development budget ranges from transport, irrigation, water supply and energy projects besides agricultural subsidies. The government announced Kissan Package worth Rs 50 billion, allocated Rs 313 billion for education, Rs 150 billion for health sector, Rs 30 billion for clean drinking water, Rs 92 billion for transport infrastructure and last but not the least Rs 27 billion for Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Program. The unprecedented increase in the education and health sector is a welcome step as it shows that the government is bent upon paying special attention to the needs of people. It is hoped that the budget allocated to each sector will be utilised in a proper way and will pave the way for the socio-economic development of the country.
Shehar Bano Syed
Lahore, Pakistan
