CM Mahmood Khan says KP budget balanced, pro-poor

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has termed the KP budget for the financial year 2021-22 as a balanced, pro-poor and a historic.

In a statement issued here, he said it was the biggest budget in KP history, adding that all the sectors have been fully focused in the document which, on implementation, would bring about a new era of development in the province and visible positive change in the lives of the masses.

Mahmood Khan said this was a tax-free budget as no new tax had been levied

rather historic exemptions were given to different sectors, adding despite difficult financial situation, the KP government did not compromise on the developmental portfolio for which Rs. 370 billion have been allocated for the uplift projects which was 33 per cent of the total budget. He said the special focus has been given to the ongoing developmental projects of public welfare to complete the schemes well in time.

The chief minister said all possible efforts had been made to provide maximum relief to the common man. He added that enhancement of development portfolio, reforms in provincial taxes, increase in the salaries of government employees and pensioners, relief to farmers, honorarium for prayer leaders, enhancement of education and health sector budget, increase in the monthly wages of daily wagers, subsidy for providing wheat flour on cheaper rates to public, food basket programme for deserving people were the some important relief initiatives proposed in the budget.

He said that Rs 20 billion had been allocated for the food basket programme and wheat flour for subsidy. Mahmood Khan said the social sector had been a priority of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government since day one, adding the budget for the education, health, drinking water and other social sectors had been increased manifold in the budget.

He said that despite the difficult financial situation, a significant increase has been made in the budget of various sectors adding that as compared to the last financial year.

The chief minister said the Elementary and Secondary Education budget had been increased by Rs 24 billion, Health budget by Rs 22 billion, Police budget by Rs 12 billion, Tourism & Sports sector budget by Rs 11 billion and Local Government budget by Rs 6 billion. He congratulated Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagara and his entire team for preparing a budget which he said was balanced and historic.