Staff Reporter Karachi
Sindh Chief Minster Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday presented the tax-free budget for fiscal year 2021-22 in the provincial assembly with a total outlay of Rs1.4 trillion.
Unveiling the budget, Murad Ali Shah said that no new tax has been imposed in the provincial budget and the it has been increased by 19.1 percent.
He said Rs 3 billion has been allocated for the rehabilitation of agriculture while Rs 16 billion has been earmarked for the welfare of the citizens.
Murad Ali Shah went on to say that Rs 1.70 billion has been allocated for
the rehabilitation of IT sector, while Rs 3 billion has been set aside for industrial development.
He said Rs 2 billion has been earmarked for low cost housing, Rs 1 billion for livestock and fisheries, Rs 500 million for women engaged in agriculture, Rs 500 million for special children s fund and the largest share of the budget is for education sector.
The budget for education has been increased by 14.2%.The Sindh CM said more than 900 posts would be created in the health sector at various levels, adding that Rs 18 billion has been allocated for the purchase of medicines and Rs 24 billion has been earmarked for dealing with the coronavirus epidemic.
He announced a 25 percent increase in salaries of the government employees besides increasing the minimum wage from Rs 17,000 to Rs25,000.
“Other than the police constables, an allowance has been introduced for the government employees,” he
said.
The Sindh Chief Minister said that a proposal to increase the minimum wage from Rs 17,500 to Rs 25,000 was also under consideration.
He said that the grant given to SIUT has been increased by 27% and Rs 18.50 billion has been earmarked in the
development budget for health.
Besides, Rs 119.97 billion has been allocated for Sindh law and order. The budget of local bodies has been increased by 31.3% to Rs 10.48 billion, while Rs 30 billion has been earmarked for the development budget of Works and Services.
“Building our success is a continuation of our policies,” he said and added we worked out a detailed strategy for the expansion of health sector. We plan to do more in the next financial year.
He said: “Education is the most important and the only factor in the life of a nation. The Sindh government is striving to provide quality education to all.
Young people and children are really the future of our nation. The curriculum taught in the school has to be monitored. The budget for education has been proposed at Rs 277.5 billion.”
