No new taxes to be levied in budget, says Shahbaz

People to get relief in Punjab; new public welfare schemes to be introduced; those doing negative politics rejected

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that the next provincial budget will be friendly for people, farmers and industrialists and new schemes will be introduced for public welfare in the budget and no new tax will be levied.

The chief minister chaired a meeting in which he reviewed the proposals regarding the provincial budget for the new financial year, 2017-18 and priorities of the Annual Development Programme.

He said that the scope of programme of welfare of the common man would be expanded and more resources would be earmarked for the development of backward areas in the budget. The Punjab government will forward the policy of equal development of rural and urban areas, he added. He said that welfare of the common man and provision of quality facilities to them was among the priorities and this policy will be forwarded in the proposals for the new provincial budget.

Reviewing in detail the priorities of the Annual Development Programme 2017-18, Shahbaz Sharif said that the Punjab government had achieved development targets of the current fiscal year through an effective strategy. He said that the volume of Annual Development Programme for the next fiscal year would be a record and timely. He said that more resources would be provided for the development of districts of south Punjab and prosperity of the people than ratio of population next year as well while project of provision of potable water at the cost of billions of rupees will be launched from south Punjab. He said that implementation on this programme will be started simultaneously in 37 tehsils of south Punjab in the first phase. He said that more funds would be allocated for education, health, provision of clean drinking water and other social sectors. New steps will be taken for further improvement in infrastructure and transport sectors, he added. 

He said that development of agriculture and provision of better facilities to cultivators in the next fiscal year were included in the priorities.