PESHAWAR – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) caretaker government has presented budget for the first four months of fiscal year 2023-24 after formal approval of the cabinet on Tuesday.
Advisor to the caretaker chief minister on Finance Himayat Ullah Khan announced the budgetary allocations and measures for giving relief to the public servants and employees at a press conference today. Despite challenges, he said, the government will not take any loan. No new tax has been imposed in the budget while ban will continue on recruitment, purchase of new vehicles and renovation of government offices and residences.
Flanked by top government officials, the Advisor announced 35% increase in the salaries of government employees from BPS1-16 and 30% rise in the salaries of BPS17 and above employees. He also announced a 50% increase in travel allowance for all government employees. The government has announced 17.5% increase in pensions of retired employees. Minimum wage of laborers has been increased from existing Rs26,000 to Rs32,000 per month.
As many as Rs462 billion has been allocated for current expenditure, Rs112 billion for development projects, Rs102 billion for the administrative districts, Rs59 billion for the tribal districts and Rs1 billion subsidy for BRT.
Former FATA and PATA districts have been given tax exemption for another two years.