Health top priority in budget: CM

Says focus will be on completing ongoing projects instead of launching new schemes

KARACHI: The annual provincial budget for the next fiscal year will be presented on Wednesday, announced Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday while addressing a party meeting.

Shah said that before presenting the budget in the assembly, he would chair a cabinet meeting so that cabinet members may be consulted on and approve the budget.

"Coronavirus has not only affected our people, but it has also badly affected the budget estimates for the next year," he said. "Despite the critical condition, I will try my best to provide relief to the poor people of the province."

Sindh CM said that the health sector would be prioritised in the upcoming budget, under which new facilities would be established as containing the virus spread in the province was important.

"The coronavirus is claiming more and more lives every day and the number of single-day fresh cases has crossed 2,000," he said, urging people to adopt the precautionary measures against the contagion.

Shah further stated that the water and sanitation sector, poverty reduction, development of the social sector, and revival of the provincial economy would be among other priorities, besides health, in the budget, adding that instead of launching new schemes, they would focus on completing the ongoing projects.

He said that the coronavirus and locust attacks had been the biggest threats to the economy of the province, which could magnify food security issues.

The chief minister added that amid coronavirus crises, authorities were looking to develop standard operating procedures for the budget session in the assembly.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2020.