PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra said the provincial government presented a ‘relief-oriented’ and ‘pro-poor’ budget for the next financial year 2021-22, which was widely welcoming by all segments. Speaking at a post-budget news conference here on Saturday, the minister said the KP budget is ‘balanced’ and ‘growth-oriented’ and no new tax was being imposed, so it is called a totally relief budget.
Regarding the payment of amounts and arrears on head of Net hydel profit, Jhagra said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was assured to release Rs36 billion as earliest as possible. He added the NHP payment was regularly paid out during the last eight months. Terming the budget figures as factual, he informed that a record increase was made in TMAs budget from Rs9 billion to Rs 15 billion, aiming at delivering services to people at their doorsteps.
Talking about the taxation measures, the minister said the ratio of the number of provincial taxes had been reduced, which was encouraging to bring new taxpayers in the tax net. He informed that a record allocation had been made for the Afforestation Billion Tree Tsunami Project. Similarly, he maintained that historic development funds had been allocated for uplift of newly merged tribal districts in the fiscal budget 2021-22. He informed that a hefty amount has been set aside to provide interest free to people in the province.
Flanked by additional chief secretary KP Shahab Ali Shah and other senior officials, the minister said the government has increased government employees’ salaries and allowances by 37 percent. He added that a record fund of Rs 10 billion subsidy has been allocated for food security in the province. Regarding debt burden on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Jhagra said the government has taken two types of short and long term loans, interest rates on short term loans are very low for which there is a transparent method of repayment while long term loans with a term of 30 to 40 years are very easy and regular.
The Minister said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is not facing any difficulty due to repayment of loans which is two per cent of the total budget. He said that Rs 100 billion allocated for integrated districts would be spent on them and not a single penny would be wasted. “We are trying to vaccinate 7 to 9 million people by September and that is why vaccination of 18-29 year olds and women started,” he said. However, the health department and the KP govt will not allow the shortage of coronavirus.
Jhagra said public opinion on the budget is welcome and the people have appreciated the budget of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He added that the expenditure details have also been made public.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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