CM hails 'largest development budget'

Indicates payment of performance bonus to govt officials

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif asserts while addressing a provincial cabinet meeting on Monday, "We are not only giving a zero tax budget, but the largest development budget. The previous development budget was also a record, we will break all our own records. We not only gave a surplus budget of Rs740 billion despite fulfilling IMF conditions, but also delivered by imposing emergency in the province."

The chief minister said 100 innovative programmes and projects had started in Punjab, 700 roads were being built, and the construction and expansion of 12,000km of roads is a record.

She added, "Full attention is focused on the people, there is no example of such a hefty budget in health and education in the history. Free medicines will be available everywhere. We will also meet our target of providing essential facilities in government schools during this year."

She underscored, "A record of cleanliness was set across the province on the Eid. It is easy to increase taxes by increasing their rate, but instead we will focus on enhancing the tax net. If we build two or four big projects, it seems as if a big job has been done, but we have brought 100 new programmes. More than 40,000 houses could not even be built in 40 years but we have completed them in just one year."

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said, "I have memorised figures related to each department in the 2025-26 budget, which will prove to be an unprecedented budget in the history of the country."

She added, "We will consider the grant of bonus to government employees on their performance, minimum wage of a labourers is fixed at Rs40,000 per month." She emphasised, "The wage system should be digitalised. The rate of local debt in Punjab has decreased by a record 94%."

The chief minister said, "We are presenting a historic package of public service. Governance is improving due to financial discipline."

She added, "The entire progress will be presented in the provincial assembly, everyone will tell how much funds were spent where. No scandal surfaced due to e-tendering and good governance."