Punjab

Budget 2011-12: Rs 654 billion outlay for Punjab

Brief ruckus breaks out as opposition leader presents garland to chief minister.

Express June 10, 2011

LAHORE: The Government of Punjab on Friday presented the budget for the fiscal year 2011-12 with an outlay of Rs 654 billion.

Provincial Finance Minister, Kamran Michael presented the budget in Punjab Assembly. A scuffle broke out at the start of the speech as Leader of the Opposition and senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Raja Riaz went up to Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and presented him with a garland. Sources said the Riaz had presented the garland because Sharif was in the assembly "after a long time". Members of the treasury benches attempted to stop him as a fight broke out between PPP MPAs and PML-N MPAs. one member was seen lifting a camera tripod in an attempt to strike someone.

The ruckus went on as Michael gave the budget speech and was brought under control within a few minutes at the intervention of the speaker of the provincial assembly.

The government has set aside Rs 210 billion for the Annual Development Programme. An allocation of Rs 70 billion has been made for the development of south Punjab.

External debts of the province are more than Rs 4 trillion, while internal loans are Rs 76 billion.

More than Rs 23 billion has been allocated for the development of the education sector, with Rs 4 billion to be used for providing missing facilities at schools. Danish schools will be set up in 15 districts of the province.

A total of Rs 5 billion has been allocated for the provision of free medicines in all government hospitals. The government will also set up 50 mobile hospitals across the province and the Yellow Cab scheme will also be re-introduced.

At least 10,000 jobs are expected to be created in the health and education sectors.

The salaries of government employees will be raised by 15% and pensions will be increased by 20%.

More than Rs 50 billion has been allocated to the Police Department for the maintenance of law and order.

Women welfare development projects will receive a share of Rs 13 billion and Rs 220 million has been allocated for minorities welfare. Model markets will be established in five districts of the province.

The power sector has been allocated Rs 9 billion and Rs 3.4 billion has been fixed for the growth of the agriculture sector.

COMMENTS (7)

BAHAR | 13 years ago | Reply A great budget indeed. And, Mr CLINICAL HAMMER, the minorities in Pakistan enjoy their full rights. It is only in Israel, India, America, France and the rest of the non-Muslim world that one after another of the discrimininatory measures are taken against Islam and Muslims. Some days back, I read in a Christian newspaper article that Mr Kamran Michael wouldn't be allowed to present the provincial budget solely for his faith. You don't feel the extent of religious extremism here??? I request you and all other so-called liberals or moderates to please keep your eyes open as you criticise! Your criticism must not be for criticism's sake alone.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply @Speaker: When in USA Bill Clinton is impeached, nobody condemns the democracy. Our congressmen and senators are sending indecent pictures but nobody maligns democracy. This is not Pakistani democracy; these are Pakistani people and its real face. It is a mirror and people should not avoid seeing their real face. Your argument is like "Muslims are killing so many Muslims; it is the real face of Islam?" Is Pakistan the real face of Islam? If it were not the democracy and openness Dr. Khan would be in jail and 60 judges with their families rotting in detention. After losing more than half of the country and several humiliating defeats during the army rule, still it is the fault of democracy?

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Jamshed | 13 years ago | Reply Yellow cab again? You don't see any yellow cabs which mean it was a failure, why can't you learn from it??

Thinking | 13 years ago | Reply And where is the money to pay for all this coming from given that the military/ISI have seen a massive increase in funding? Pakistan's economy is growing at just 2% per year and interest payments on current debt are already far above that. Sindh declared a neutral budget. Unless the K-P and Baluchistan budgets go to 0, this must be a massively deficit-ridden budget.

clinical Hammer | 13 years ago | Reply This is really awful that every responsibility given to a non-muslim which comes under limelight is put to a scrutiny. Resolution of objectives only specified president and prime minister but now I guess our right wing is going ta apply the same deprivation or ineligibility clause to virtually everything around. I think it is a very wrong approach. Every citizen of the country is entitled to all opportunities and there should be no discrimination. That is the only way to progress. Please don't make this country like Israel. Let it be Pakistan.

Speaker | 13 years ago | Reply Real face of Pakistani democracy

Raza | 13 years ago | Reply can anybody quote the deficit? or is it a surplus budget.....

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