Companies wasted billions of Punjab govt in past: Aleem Khan

LAHORE:Senior Punjab Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has said that various companies wasted billions of rupees of the Punjab government in the past. He added the government exchequer should not be used indiscriminately in any department and should be spent meticulously. He said like others Punjab is also facing a number of financial challenges but ‘we will do our best to provide maximum relief to the common man in the next budget’.

Senior Minister Aleem Khan was presiding over a high level meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance and Development of the Punjab Cabinet at the Chief Minister s House here on Wednesday. Ministers for Law, Finance and Industries Raja Mohammad Basharat, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Mian Aslam Iqbal and Adviser Dr Salman Shah were also present in this meeting.

He said that the priorities of the Punjab government for the next budget should be clearly defined for which instead of waiting for the Mun o Salwa ‘we have to increase our own resources’. He directed all the departments to finalise their recommendations for the financial year 2020 21 and prepare solid proposals for spending on developmental projects by saving unnecessary public sector funds.

He said the problems of Corona faced by the province will also reflect and have an impact on next year’s budget and annual development programme. He said ‘we have to try to benefit people through maximum development works in the next financial year and for this purpose departments concerned should work in coordination with each other.

Talking in the meeting, Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht and Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal gave departmental suggestions regarding the forthcoming budget.