The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Punjab government has presented a tax-free and surplus budget of Rs 5,446 billion, having the largest ADP (Annual Development Programme) for fiscal year 2024-25, mainly focusing on social sector, infrastructure development, production sectors, services sectors, and special initiatives for people’s welfare and poverty alleviation.
This budget is not an exaggeration of figures but a consolidated document that has full cash cover and it is the outcome of the effective and well-though-out policies of the incumbent government. The full cash cover due to surplus revenue receipts, particularly the provincial own revenue receipts, will ensure complete utilisation of the ADP, thus ensuring maximum relief to the common man. Provincial Senior Minister for Planning and Development (P&D) Marriyum Aurangzab and Provincial Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman stated this while addressing the post-budget conference, here on Friday. The senior minister said that now the elected government was in place and “we have shun politics for the sake of politics and blame game, and we will have to make joint efforts for people’s well-being”. The opposition has the constitutional right of criticism and the government would welcome its objections which deemed better for the people and the country, she added. She said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Punjab government was putting in order comprehensive measures such as promotion of information technology, skill development among youth, women, transgender community and the minorities. The priority sectors of the government are Education, Health, IT, Agriculture, infrastructure, and law and order. She elaborated that the government has allocated more funds for the above sectors, stating that Health Sector has been allocated a total of Rs 539 billion with ADP of Rs 129 billion; Education sector was allocated Rs 670 billion with Rs 66 billion ADP; Local Governments to get Rs 321 billion with Rs 62 billion ADP; Agriculture budget is Rs 117 billion with Rs 65 ADP; Rs 375 billion would be spent on infrastructure; and Rs 220 billion on Law and Order.
During the next financial year, she said, the government will also give subsidy in various sectors including Agriculture Rs 26.6 billion; Transport Rs 24.3 billion; and Rs 100 billion for the special initiatives. Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba said that Rs 842 billion ADP was 28 per cent higher than the outgoing FY 2023-24 containing Rs 655 billion on this count. Out of the development budget, he elaborated, 33 per cent would be spent on Social Sector, 29 per cent on Infrastructure, 13 per cent on Production Sector, and 5 per cent on Services Sector, while 20 per cent would go to Special Programmes/Initiatives. The finance minister said that total revenue collection was estimated at Rs 4643.40 billion; Rs 3,683.10 billion will be received from federal divisible pool; provincial receipts (Own Resource Revenue) are estimated at Rs 960.30 billion (54 per cent higher than the current fiscal year) for financial year 2024-25, while Non-Tax Revenues are estimated at Rs 488.40 billion (111 per cent higher than the current FY). Regarding property tax, he explained that Rs 29 billion will be received on this count after the DC rate table has been revised after 10 years, but it would be implemented from January 1, 2025. He said that property tax revenues would reach up to Rs 50 billion, if the DC rate table would have been revised after every five years. He made it clear that no change has been made in the traffic challan/fines ratio, adding that the last caretaker government had increased the ratio of fines which are now enforced. Senior Minister for P&D said that Punjab government has allocated Rs 9.5 billion for Chief Ministers Roshan Gharana Programme and Rs 80 billion for Chief Ministers District SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) during the financial year 2024-24.
