After unloading the budget documents from a prison van, a staff member carries them to parliament, where Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented the budget for the fiscal 2015-16 on Friday. PHOTO: INP
Up to a billion rupees have been allocated for the expenditures of the Prime Minister House in the coming fiscal year, but the budget documents are missing this important detail.
Sources in the finance ministry who liaise with the PM House confirmed that Rs1 billion have been allocated for the PM House’s expenditures. They, however, could not explain why this detail was omitted from the budget documents.
On the other hand, the budget for the PM Office has been increased to Rs842 million, up by Rs63 million from the current fiscal’s budget of Rs779 million.
According to sources at the PM House, last year a separate allocation of Rs800 million was made for the expenditures of the PM House. But they don’t know what happened this time round.
Since the subject of expenditures for the PM Office and the PM House do not come under the federal consolidated fund, the proposed allocations need to be approved.
Sources claimed that the finance ministry had deliberately concealed the amount allocated for the PM House’s expenditures.
When the PM House was contacted, it said that only the finance ministry could clarify the matter.
President Office
The President Office’s estimated budget for 2015-2016 has been decided at Rs801 million. This is charged allocation, which means it does not need to be voted on.
Last year, the President House’s budget was decided at Rs743,253,000 and was later revised to Rs749,253,000.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2015.
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