Punjab budget aims to provide relief to people; 'Sasta atta scheme' to be improved

In its budget for 2004-05, the Punjab government has made efforts to provide relief to the people, and it would implement federal government's decision of increasing the salaries and pensions of government employees.
This was stated by Punjab Finance Minister Husnain Bahadur Dareshak at his post-budget press conference here on Friday. Punjab Finance Secretary Salam Siddique, Planning and Development Board Chairman Salam Ghani and Excise & Taxation Secretary Punjab Sami Saeed were also present.
The minister said that the increase in the salaries of government employees would put an extra burden of Rs 7 billion on the government, but the provincial government has requested the federal government to compensate it.
He said that under property tax exemption for 5-marla houses in certain areas, 300,000 house owners in the province would benefit, which would cost the government Rs 280 million. "Punjab's biggest asset is manpower, which will be utilised very effectively, and opportunities of its potential in all districts will be explored," he added.
He said that finalisation of National Finance Commission (NFC) Award should be based on consensus and not on emotions. However, the delay in the NFC Award was not a matter of disappoint. He said it was not unusual to achieve consensus on the matter and he was confident that the final decision would be in the interest of the provinces. He admitted that the delay in the NFC award had created impediments in the preparation of Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) decision. In the first of week of July, PFC performance would be improved and the districts would receive sufficient funds, he added.
Dreshak said that for the first time in the history of the province a fund of Rs 100 million has been allocated for the minorities.
"It was felt that there was a shortage of hotels in the provincial capital; thus it has been decided to sell government properties on the Shahra-e-Quaid-e-Azam to the private sector to be converted into hotels," he added
"Moreover, the government has also decided that instead of giving relief to flour mills, the 'Sasta (cheap) Atta Scheme' would be improved so that poor people could have access to cheaper atta.
About Kalabagh dam he said that the Punjab government was clear on the issue and it was waiting for the decision of the Parliamentary Committee in this regard," he added.
According to him, 25 million people are living below the poverty line in Punjab and the government is working to address this problem, and 'Vision 2020' was part of that effort.
About increase in vehicles transfer fee in the provincial budget the minister said it would not affect the common man as there is a ban on registration of vehicles from other provinces and it would apply to government employees transferred to Punjab.