Murad to unveil Sindh budget for 2025-26 today

The Sindh budget for the upcoming financial year 2025-26 will be presented today (Friday) in the Sindh Assembly.

The budget will be tabled by the chief minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, himself as he also holds the portfolio of the Sindh finance department. Acting Sindh Governor Syed Awais Qadir Shah has summoned the Sindh Assembly for the purpose at 3pm today.

According to the sources privy to the fiscal affairs of the Sindh government, the total volume of the new provincial budget will likely be over Rs3,000 billion. An increase in the provincial taxation rates is likely to be proposed in the new provincial finance bill.

The development budget of the Sindh government is also likely to be hiked. There will likely be fiscal steps included in the new provincial budget aimed at the general welfare of the public and supporting the farmers to boost the agricultural sector.

Subsidies of Rs75 billion will likely be included in the new budget for the farming sector. The budget will likely contain reservation of funds to offer farming equipment, seeds and fertiliser at subsidised rates to over one million small farmers in the province. The salaries of the provincial government employees will likely be increased by 10 to 15 per cent. There will likely be special allocations in the new provincial budget for launching public transport initiatives in the urban parts of Sindh.

The total volume of the provincial Annual Development Programme will likely be over Rs500 billion. The budget will likely have an allocation of funds for over 450 new development schemes in the province. There will be a special allocation of finances for mega development schemes in Karachi.