LAHORE:The general public reacting to the Punjab budget for fiscal year 2021-22, said the government has presented a balanced budget amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Commoners while talking to The News said that the government has taken a good step by not imposing any new tax on already burdened masses. The government employees have welcomed raise in their salaries though it is small but after no raise in previous budget government servants have appreciated it. Bao Naveed, a resident of Pakpattan and a heart patient, appreciated the government’s step of universal health scheme by the name of ‘Sehat Insaf Card’. He said that after his heart attack doctors have suggested implantation of stents which he couldn’t afford. But thank God that due to heath scheme he got treated on urgent basis without spending a single penny. He was quite satisfied that the government has assured to maintain that scheme for the whole province in this budget. Shabbir Ahmad, who is working in a factory, while to talking to The News said that the government has increased the minimum wage from 17 thousand to twenty thousand which is not much but will help to handle his kitchen. However, he showed his reservations about implementation of this increase in wage alleging that most of the factories don’t act on government directions. Raza Ali, an unemployed graduate, while talking to The News said the government has allocated a large sum for vocational training institutes and Hunarmand programme.
