People belonging to various shades of life have hailed the 2007-08 Federal budget and termed it common man's budget. Similarly, the federal budget was also widely welcomed by a large number of government employees and pensioners in Sialkot district.
They said that the government had ensured sufficient increase in salaries and pension as 15 to 20 percent increases in pension would provide relief to the pensioners and lessen their economic constraints.
Commenting on the budget, Provincial Industries Minister Muhammad Ajmal Cheema said the new budget would be supportive in industrial growth and would ensure big boost in exports of the country.
The Industries Minister said the Federal government had taken drastic steps for the development and promotion of textile sector. The government, he said, had decided to establish three garment cities at Lahore, Karachi and Faisalabad for further accelerating the textile activities in the country.
Ajmal Cheema further said that special attention had also been accorded to the development of dairy industry to bring about white revolution in the country.
Similarly, adequate steps had also been taken for initiating ceramic development, glass production, foundry services, gem and jewellery granite projects in the country, he added.
The Provincial Industries Minister said that Pakistan Muslim League-Q government had focused its attention on minimising the common man's problem as well as the government employees and pensioners.
Sialkot District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema, expressing his views, termed the budget peoples' friendly as a result of which people, belonging to different walks of life, would be benefited. The government had set a side huge fund for Khushhal Pakistan Programme to alleviate poverty and for the improvement in quality of life in the country, Akmal said. Sumreen Kauser Gillani, member District Assembly and Central Vice President Labour Wing (Women) PML-Q, said that it was heartening to note that the government had allocated huge amount for different areas of energy sector of the country.
Implementation of the new projects pertaining to energy would pave the way for overcoming the energy crisis, Sumreen Gillani said, adding the PML-Q government had focused its extra-ordinary attention on environment and had allocated sufficient funds in new budget for undertaking new projects in the country.
Besides, Syed Akhtar Hussain Rizvi, Punjab Assembly member Sajila Ansar Bajwa, Provincial Parliamentary Secretary for Social Welfare Shehla Shahid Butt and Pasrur tehsil Nazim Chaudhry Maqsood Ahmad Sulehria, Convenor of Sialkot District Assembly Rana Ejaz Ahmed and others also welcomed the Federal budget.