LAHORE: Punjab’s Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb announced that the total volume of the provincial budget for the upcoming fiscal year is Rs5,335 billion.
She confirmed that no new taxes will be introduced, and no existing tax rates will be increased.
The budget includes a development outlay of Rs1,240 billion. A roadmap has been outlined to expand the province’s tax net, and the government has committed to presenting a detailed report on how every rupee was spent over the past year.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, in an interview, expressed satisfaction over the fact that this is the second consecutive year in which no new taxes have been imposed in Punjab.
Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman presented the budget in the Punjab Assembly, in a session attended by the Chief Minister and cabinet members. Opposition lawmakers staged a protest during the session and gathered in front of the Speaker’s dais.
According to official documents, the government has approved a 10% increase in salaries for government employees and a 5% increase in pensions for retired personnel.
The budget allocates Rs811.8 billion for education, Rs630.5 billion for health, Rs411 billion for local government, and Rs129.5 billion for agriculture.
