Pasha defends ‘pro-people’ budget

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Finance Dr Ayesha Ghous Pasha rejected the opposition’s complaints of failing to accommodate its suggestions and said the provincial government presented a pro-people budget. During Friday’s Assembly session, she assured the allocation was according to the wishes of the common man.

The opposition MPAs had been expressing their strong reservations over the budget for the last five days during the ‘general discussion’. They complained time and again that their suggestions were not accommodated in the recently presented budget.

It was not only opposition legislators who had problems with the outlay as members of the treasury also took a swipe at the government’s financial plan s in 2017-18. Some of the latter bemoaned that the administration ignored the health, education, clean drinking water and sewerage in their constituencies, among others.



The finance minister rejected the reservations of legislators from both the treasury and opposition benches, adding all stakeholders were taken onboard over the preparation. “All proposals are sent to the relevant departments to review before being sent to the finance and P&D for their nod.”  During her speech on Friday, she also suggested opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed correct a figure he quoted in the house when he said the provincial government’s total debt volume is Rs712 billion. She added the volume was Rs568 billion by the end of FY2016-17 out of which Rs.554 billion was foreign and Rs.14 billion was local debt.



Responding to the reservations of the opposition 9over agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food and livestock sectors, she said the provincial government had a comprehensive policy since 2014. She stated a sector-wise agricultural plan was formed in 2015 with the basic aim of reaching short and long-term targets.

The minister also spoke Rs 11 billion of interest-free loans for small farmers, while 92% of them are getting loans for first time. She suggested those criticising agricultural policy should meet farmers before speaking out.



Shedding light on the education sector, the minister said she wanted to draw the opposition leader’s attention towards the Pakistan Development Update of the World Bank which admired the steps taken by the provincial government. Talking about health, she said the best facilities were provided at the doorstep of people. Ayesha asserted the provincial government was strengthening basic health units and regional health centres. She said concrete steps were taken to ensure clean drinking water, while law and order saw a decrease compared to last year.

The minister stated the provincial government allocated billions to all sectors to strengthen them. However, the opposition still continued lashing out at the budget, saying the poor had no voice.

Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal said 9% had been decreased in the education sector over the last five years and this was contrary to the government’s complaints.

He said there was a big difference between figures they were quoting and those printed in the budget documents.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2017.