Copies of the Punjab provincial budget are kept outside the Punjab assembly prior to the budget presentation on Friday. PHOTO: INP
KARACHI: Provincial Minister for Finance, Excise and Taxation Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman presented a Rs1.3 trillion budget for Punjab on Friday for FY15, amid a prolonged and vociferous protest from the opposition benches, Express News reported.
For the total outlay of Rs1.3 trillion announced, Rs804.19 billion will be funded from the federal divisible pool and Rs228.87 from provincial receipts.
The Punjab government has set its target of tax revenue collection at Rs167.7 billion.
According to budget documents, 36% of the total budget of the province has been allocated for the development of southern Punjab.
The main focus of the budget is on welfare schemes, power plants and education.
The minister announced that Rs273 billion have been allocated for education, while Rs121.8 billion have been allocated for health.
While stating that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has already inaugurated 19 power plants, Rehman said that eliminating load-shedding is the government's priority.
Rehman announced that Rs2 billion will be spent on a biomass plant in Bahawalpur, while Rs17 billion have been budgeted for the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park project.
An amount of Rs5 billion wasannounced for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's laptop scheme. The provincial minister also announced a 16% increase from last year's budget for the police.
In his budget speech, Rehman also stated that laws will be imposed for employment opportunities.
COMMENTS (27)
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Well balanced budget. Other provinces should follow Punjab if they want to progress.
Other provinces need a CM like Shehbaz Sharif.
@Jibran: I don't think you need a doctorate or any formal education to see the obvious: Namely that Punjab is the best managed, best run, relatively stable and developing province in Pakistan. In large measure, the credit goes to Shahbaz Sharif. Why anyone should require a doctorate to see the obvious is beyond my limited intellect.
Rehman is a name for Allah. For people Abdul should be used before such names. NO criticism intended I just wanted to point out the mistake. Again, for humans please add Abdul before any name the Almighty Allah is referred to by. Thank you.
36% budget for Southern Punjab (which is only 30% of population of Punjab). . Good budget!
@nomi: Delusion of grandeur, to say in one phrase...
I see no condemnation of PTI uncivilised behaviour. Why?
@nomi: Yes 36 percent budget for less than 25 percent of total population of South Punjab and the remaining 63 percent budget for more than 75 percent population of Punjab is a clear discriminatory and biased budget for the rest of Punjab.
@aaaaa: After the 18th amendment Higher education became a Provincial matter as it is devolved. Also in Europe apart from Federal level R&D local states arrange their funding as well for enhanced Research and innovation activities in their particular origin.
I work has a trader Capital Mkts..rest assured this will end in tears..these ppl r not fit 2 govern its like adding 2+2 and coming up with 9..pmnl shame on you and your ilk! Those who are defending pmnl ppp you are subjugated..do yoursrlf a favour and think 4 once about 2morow not just the afternoon..disgusting and criminal!
On borrowed time..borrowed monies poor will pay 4 this stupidity were thete will b little or no accountability..all abt lining there pockets..no disregard 4 the poor just playing with fire..theres an old expression "dont play with fire you will get your hands burnt".
Thanks for PTI for excellent budget for Punjab with right priorities on Education and Health.
Now time for PTI to wake up in KPK.
Poor Baloch and Pakthuns need Indian assistance if Pakistan doesnt give them.
36 % budget for south punjab and rest for the Sultanate of Lahore.
This change is only because of PTI.
@Dr Akmal: Well done Punjab Govt. You are the best provincial govt. A role model for other provinces in Pakistan.
Speaks volumes about the level of education in Pakistan, and the intellect of the PhDs produced therein. I mean one has to stoop so low requires an extra special degree.
Budgeting is one thing and implementing is another. In Last years federal budget ishaq dar announced 3.4 trillion dollars of total spending, by the end of the year it ended up on 3.9 trillion dollars. So before presenting any new budget, the givernment should first announce how much it deviated from last year
@Chachoo:
Universities fall under HEC, a federal concern.
I see a lot of commentators patting PTI & IK for Punjabs 'good' budget, & how the protest by PTI has led to more development & reduced loadshedding in Punjab, whatever makes these commentators happy is not my business, I just wanted to ask if PTI will be protesting in KPK so the poor people who voted for them can also get some development?
The numbers mean little when the government itself is into fraud. In the end, all money will end up in Lahore or in the greedy pockets of khadim e aala and sons.
If you are an influential person in any constituency of Punjab and want development or improvement in your area, please invite and arrange PTI jalsa, and you will see Punjab government pouring its resources on you. Loadshedding was reduced in Faisalabad and Islamabad before PTI Jalsas, Bahawalpur getting 2 billions. Well done PTI!
ET kindly give us a detailed overview of the budget if possible as at present we cannot figure it out weather the budget is balanced or not. Also I dont see any Allocation in the Punjab budget for Research and Development for Universities and Industries and such an important pillar for sustainable development seems to be missing from the budget of the Punjab gov.
Lets see what PTI does in KPK. To me they are a confused bunch having no strategy just retoric.
Not reported here, but 60Bn in Annual Development Programme (ADP) for new schools, there's allocation for Daanish Schools, Punjab Educational Foundation (which runs the voucher program) and Punjab Educational Endowment Fund which together are more than 20Bn too. Hence, total education budget in Punjab is greater than 340 Billion.
PTI is only hope. This family Ltd party just know how to fool people.
Well done PTI. Keep government in check and I am sure all this money will go in their business. Long Live IK
Well done Punjab Govt. You are the best provincial govt. A role model for other provinces in Pakistan.
KARACHI, seriously?