Government employees' salaries and pensions increase

Caretaker set up approves development budget for FY 2018-19

LAHORE: The provincial cabinet on Tuesday approved a four-month budget for Fiscal Year 2018-19.

The meeting approved the proposal of a 10 per cent increase in the salaries of government employees, besides approving to review the house rent. It also gave approval for a 10 per cent increase in the pension of retired government employees.

The caretaker government gave approval to the development budget for four months for the new Fiscal Year 2018-19. The meeting also approved the estimates of recurring expenditures of four months of the upcoming fiscal year.

Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari presided over the provincial cabinet meeting.  Provincial ministers, the chief secretary Akbar Durrani, IG Police Kaleem Imam, secretary finance, secretary law and secretary information also attended the meeting.

The finance secretary gave a briefing about the salient features of the budget and ministers chimed in about the budgets of their respective departments. They also presented different proposals.



The secretary for law and finance briefed the meeting about the legal and financial aspects of the issues discussed in the meeting. The meeting appreciated the services of the police in maintaining peace.

Dr Askari listened to the proposals of cabinet members attentively and took notice. Later, he signed off on the budget documents to give formal approval.

Addressing the meeting, Dr Askari said that the caretaker government has presented four months budget for the year 2018-19. He said that this budget has been presented in accordance with the constitutional requirements. He said that the government has made an effort to provide necessary relief to the people while remaining within its limited mandate and constitutional responsibilities.

He said that funds for education, healthcare, agriculture and social sectors have been increased. "We have to serve the people of the province while remaining within the mandate."

Dr Askari said that all the decisions are being made in consultation with the cabinet and today's budget has been approved with consensus.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2018.