Budget FY2024-25: Punjab govt presents Rs5.4 trillion ‘tax-free’ budget

Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman on Thursday presented the provincial budget for the financial year 2024-25 in the assembly session.

A day after the federal government announced its budget, the provincial government proposed its Rs5.4 trillion budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

As the provincial minister presented the budget, the opposition could be seen tearing the budget document in protest.

He started the budget speech mentioning the measures taken by the incumbent provincial government. “It will be the first tax-free budget of the current government”.

The total budget outlay is Rs5.446 trillion for FY2024-25.

The province’s development budget has been set at Rs842 billion for the FY25, up from Rs655 billion in FY24 (28.5% increase).

The current and service delivery budget is Rs2.633 trillion, up from Rs2.074 trillion in FY24. (27% increase).

Rs375 billion has been earmarked for wheat debt retirement.

The provincial government has allocated Rs539 billion for health, Rs669.7 billion for education, Rs374.2 billion for infrastructure, Rs321.7 billion for local government, Rs220 billion for public safety and police, and Rs117.2 billion for agriculture for the FY2024-25.

Minimum wage in the province has been proposed at Rs37,000.

For salaries of the government employees, the provincial government has proposed 25% increase for Grade 1 to 16 and 20% increase for Grade 17 to 22 employees. It tabled the proposal to increase pensions by 15%.

Details

Free solar to 100-unit consumers

The minister said a Rs9.5 billion Chief Minister Roshan Gharana Programme would provide relief to people in the province affected by exorbitant power bills. In the first phase, he said, the provincial Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) led government was providing free solar systems to those who consume up to 100 electricity units. The government would also pay the installation charges, he added.

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Apni Chat Apna Ghar Scheme

Punjab finance minister said Rs10 billion was allocated for Apni Chat Apna Ghar Scheme to help families have their own house.

Kissan Dost Package

The minister announced that the provincial government was introducing a Kissan Dost Package that he claimed was “the biggest in the country’s history”. The package includes interest-free loans of Rs75 billion in total to 500,000 farmers in the province.

Agri tube-well solarisation

In his speech, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said the provincial government would spend Rs9 billion on solarisation of 7,000 tube-wells in the province.

Green Tractor Programme

The minister said Rs30 billion had been allocated for Chief Minister Green Tractor Programme through which farmers in the province would be able to get interest-free loans with easy installments to buy tractors.

District SDGs Programme

The minister announced that Rs80 billion would be spent on Chief Minister District Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Programme to see development needs on district levels.

• Rs1.25 billion for model agricultural malls across the province
• Rs2 billion for livestock cards in Punjab
• Rs8 billion for Aquaculture Shrimp Farming Programme
• Rs5 billion for model fish markets in cities
• Rs2.50 billion for Undergraduate Scholarship Programme
• Rs2.97 billion for CM Skilled Programme

Roads construction and repair

He continued that Rs296 billion had been allocated to construct and repair roads of up to 2,380km across the province.

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Development of Garment City

The minister said Rs3 billion had been allocated to develop a Garment City in Punjab to promote the textile industry and boost foreign exchange.

Khelta Punjab scheme

He said the provincial government would spend Rs7 billion on Khelta Punjab scheme to promote sports across the province. He also revealed that Rs6.50 billion would separately be spent on a “big project” to promote sports activities in the province.

Laptop Scheme

The minister said the government was resuming the CM Punjab Laptop Scheme with an allocation of Rs10 billion to encourage the province’s youth learn IT skills.

• Rs0.67 billion for Autism school in Lahore
• Rs1 billion for Children care programmes
• Rs1 billion for day care centres for working women in Punjab
• Rs2 billion for Himmat Card Programme for disable persons
• Rs1 billion for Skilled Development Programme for transgenders
• Rs2.50 billion for Minority Development Fund
• Rs0.34 billion for Maryam Ki Dastak programme.

Health facilities on Nawaz Sharif’s name

The minister said Punjab government had allocated Rs56 billion for development of the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research Lahore.

He also informed that Rs8.84 billion would be spent to development Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology in Sargodha.

Air ambulance service

Punjab government will spend Rs0.40 billion on setting up an air ambulance service in the province.

Clinics on Wheels

Rs1 billion have been allocated for Clinic on Wheels project in which 200 ambulances will be used to serve people across the province.

Also, the minister added, Rs49 billion would be used to launch climate-friendly buses in five big cities of Punjab.

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The provincial government has allocated Rs10 billion to combat climate changes through a SMOG Less and Climate Resilient Punjab programme.

Tree plantation

Rs8 billion have been allocated for Plant for Pakistan programme to promote tree plantation.

Punjab Socio-Economic Registry

Rs9.50 billion have been allocated for development of Punjab Socio-Economic Registry that will gather the social and economic information of people living in the province and future projects will be planned accordingly.

Other initiatives proposed in the budget include:

• Rs1.40 billion for Women Development Department
• Rs6.40 billion and Rs5.30 billion for Wildlife and Fisheries, respectively
• Rs1 billion for a cancer hospital in Multan
• Rs2 billion for Asset Transfer to Women of South Punjab programme
• Rs4 billion for non-traditional schools in South Punjab
• Rs7 billion for development of Multan Safe City Project
• Rs8.60 billion for climate-friendly buses in Multan and Bahawalpur
• Rs10 billion for development of 581 basic health facilities
• Rs12 billion for Burewala-Vehari road
• Rs13 billion for Multan Vehari road
• Rs31.48 billion for development of Muzaffargarh, Alipur, Tranda Muhammad Panah roads
• Rs10 billion for Muree Development Programme
• Rs18 billion for Punjab Enforcement Regulatory Authority