PA passes Rs2.2tr demands for grant

PML-N fails to resist smooth approval of government business

LAHORE:

Punjab government managed to get 43 demands for grant of Rs2.229 trillion approved from the provincial assembly on Thursday as confused opposition PML-N members failed to resist the move.

A cut motion presented by the opposition regarding the education ministry was rejected, while the demand for the health sector were approved with majority.

Some PML-N lawmakers opposed the government’s budget proposals, while some others welcomed it.

On the other hand, a former minister, during his speech, tried to get credit for an education programme, but Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi corrected him that it had been initiated by the PML-Q.

The PML-N members appeared unmoved when their cut motion was rejected and the demands for grant presented by the government were passed.

PML-N lawmaker Azma Zahid Bukhari questioned her colleagues over their performance and left the House after a short while.

The party's lawmaker Rana Mashhood, Gulnaz Shehzadi and Mehwish Sultana spoke on shortcomings in the primary and higher education sectors.

Read Tarin defends 'budget of hope' in concluding NA session

Former minister Mashhood said the PTI government had curtailed the education budget and it did not appear interested in the sector.

He said the preceding PML-N government had brought around 55% children of south Punjab to schools and allocated Rs6 billion for the girl students but the PTI government had reduced it.

MPA Gulnaz Shehzadi said the PTI government had not worked on setting up any university, while the PML-N had given 19 universities and 200 colleges to the province.

School Education Minister Murad Raas said the proposed budget for education was remarkable and the PTI government had done what the PML-N had failed to do.

He said the government had closed the doors to corruption in the education sector, while millions of rupees had been had been earned in the past for transfers and postings.

Raas said the government had discontinued exams of class five and now would do the same for class eight to end cheating in examinations.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2021.