Punjab budget to be presented today

LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha will present the province's budget on Monday. 

The budget session at the parliament will be held at four pm, when Punjab Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha will present the budget today. The total volume of the budget is expected to be more than Rs. 1,650 billion.

Geo News has obtained a copy of the budget documents, which will be presented today at the Punjab Assembly session. 

According to Punjab Finance Ministry sources, the development budget will be more than Rs 550 billion in which 142 new projects will be included. It has also been proposed in the budget to impose new taxes on ten items and also impose taxes on ten new services. 

It has also been proposed in the budget to increase taxes on consultants, specialist and dental surgeons. It is expected that tax on vehicles of 1500-2000 cc will be increased by two to three percent. Rs 800 billion have been allocated for salaries whereas for communication and construction, Rs 250 billion have been allocated. 

Rs 30 billion have been allocated for projects that are operating on foreign investments, Rs 100 billion have been allocated for the Orange Line Metro Train project and roads whereas Rs 150 billion have been allocated for the Health sector. For the Power sector, the Punjab government has proposed to keep the budget at Rs 18 billion and 40 crore. For Punjab Police, Rs 94 billion have been allocated and for the Clean Water program, Rs 30 billion have been proposed. 

Rs 50 billion for the Farmer;s package, Rs 16 billion, 86 crore and 60 lac for Urban development, Rs 12 billion, 21 crores and 90 lac for the Agriculture sector and Rs 5 billion for the expansion of Canal road in Lahore, have been proposed. 

Rs 9 billion have been allocated for repairing and construction of damaged school buildings. For the Education sector, the government has set a budget of Rs 22 billion and 62 crore whereas for the Higher Education, an amount of Rs 13 billion and 49 crore has been allocated. 

For provision of facilities in schools, a sum of Rs 6 billion has been proposed while Rs 90 crore has been allocated for the Special Education category. Rs 6 billion have been proposed for the laptop scheme. 

It has been decided in the budget to employ 70,000 new teachers and also upgrade 300,000 existing teachers. As per the budget documents, the expenditure has been valued at an estimated Rs 1200 billion.