MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Saturday presented its budget for the fiscal year 2022/23 with a total volume of Rs 163.7 billion out of which Rs 28.5 billion has been allocated for the annual development programme (ADP).
Minister for finance Abdul Majid Khan presented the budget for the coming fiscal year and revised estimates for the current fiscal year in the legislative Assembly in the absence of opposition members who boycotted the session and protested in front of the building against the government’s policies.
The estimates for recurring expenditures for the next fiscal year have been shown Rs 135.2 billion compared to Rs 112. 9 billion revised estimates for the current fiscal year while Rs 28.5 billion has been allocated for development expenditures compared to revised estimates of Rs 22.8 billion for the current fiscal year.
Total income from revenue for the next fiscal year has been estimated Rs 36.5 billion including Rs 25.89 billion from income tax and Rs 10.61 billion in the head of other taxes.
The government will receive Rs 74.32 billion in the head of variable grants, Rs 25.13 billion in the head of state revenue, Rs 700 million in the head of water use charges and Rs 700 million as capital receipts (loan and advances).
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The minister while elaborating the salient features of the next fiscal year budget said that 62 percent of funds in ADP had been allocated for 389 running development schemes while 38 percent was allocated for 263 new projects in the next fiscal year budget and 107 running projects would be completed during the coming fiscal year.
He told the house that 19 percent of funds in ADP in the coming fiscal budget had been allocated for the social sector, 12 percent for the production sector, and 69 percent for infrastructure development.
The minister announced 15 percent disparity allowance and 15 percent ad-hoc allowance on new pay scales of 2022 for government employees and 15 percent rise in pensions of retired government employees.
In ADP for the next fiscal year, preference had been given to the communication department with the highest allocation of Rs. 12 billion while Rs 3.3 billion has been allocated for housing and physical planning.
The minister said Rs. 2.17 billion had been allocated in ADP for the next fiscal year for the education department and Rs. 1.8 billion for the health department.