Finance Minister Dr Ayesha presents Punjab Budget in the Assembly

Lahore: Punjab government has allocated a record amount of 303 billion and six crore rupees for the development of South Punjab in the next year budget.

Provincial Minister for Finance Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha while presenting the budget told that PML-N government has allocated more funds for the development of South Punjab than its population.

More than 300 billion rupees have been allocated for ten mega projects of South Punjab in the budget of 2015-16. An amount of Rs. 26 billion has been allocated for metro bus project in Multan.

Similarly, 30 billion rupees will be spent on the provision of saaf pani to the people of 11 districts of South Punjab. An amount of Rs. 150 billion will be spent on Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Project in Bahawalpur. 67.50 billion rupees will be spent on the repair and construction of roads in villages.

The amount of 9.38 billion rupees will be spent on Khawaja Farid & Information Technology University, Bahawalpur Veterinary University, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University Multan and expansion of Tayyap Erdogan Hospital Muzaffargarh up to 500-beds.

“South Punjab Ghurbat Mukao” programme will be launched in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Muzaffargarh with an amount of Rs. four billion for alleviation of poverty. An amount of Rs. 1.30 billion will be spent on the development of Cholistan under special Chief Minister’s Development Package. Similarly, 10.60 billion rupees will be spent on controlling the floodwater of hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur. Three billion and 38 crore rupees have been allocated for the uplift of tribal areas of DG Khan whereas Rs. 4.90 billion will be spent on the construction of 70 kilometer long two lane road from Bahawalpur to Hasilpur.

An amount of Rs.603 billion has been earmarked for under completion energy projects in Punjab. 180 billion rupees will be spent on 1320 megawatt coal-based energy project in Sahiwal while 135 billion rupees at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur. 300 billion rupees will be spent on 300 megawatt coal-based power project in Pind Dadan Khan whereas 110 billion rupees will be spent on 1200 megawatt power plant in Sheikhupura, 33 billion rupees for two power plants of industrial estates Lahore and Faisalabad. 90 billion rupees will be spent on four power plants in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Sialkot and 10 billion rupees on Marala, Pak Pattan, Chiyanwali and Dig outfall hydle power projects.

An amount of Rs.2.17 billion has been earmarked for minerals sector in Punjab during the fiscal year 2015-16. Exploration of iron ore and copper at Rajwa in District Chiniot is the result of coordinated strategy of Punjab government.

An amount of Rs.8.59 billion has been allocated in the next year budget for the development of livestock sector and more model markets will be constructed at a cost of Rs.80 crore throughout the province.

An amount of Rs.70 billion will be spent on saaf pani project for providing clean drinking water to four crore peoples living in villages during three years and 11 billion rupees have been earmarked in the next year for this purpose.

An amount of additional two billion rupees has been earmarked for the provision of interest-free loans to less-privileged persons in the next year budget and the number of persons doing business with this amount will increase to 10 lakh.

Punjab government has set up Punjab Social Protection Authority for providing socio-economic protection to low-income people which will implement the project of providing monthly stipend to disabled persons for rehabilitating them socially and economically throughout the province.

Punjab government will construct child protection institutes in various cities for providing best environment and protection to downtrodden and unattended children in various cities in next financial year which include Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Sahiwal. Dar ul Amaan will also be set up in Multan, Lodhran, Pak Pattan, Kasur, Layyah, Hasilpur and Sheikhupura.

Punjab government has allocated an amount of one billion rupees for minorities in the next year budget for providing scholarships to the students.

Punjab government is providing vehicles to jobless men and women under Chief Minister’s Apna Rozgar Scheme for providing honourable job to them. Punjab government will provide a subsidy of 6.37 billion rupees in this budget.

Punjab government is going to start safe city project in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan and Gujranwala which will be launched from Lahore. An amount of Rs.4 billion has been allocated in the next year budget for purchasing modern equipments, cameras and taking the violators of law to task under a coordinated system.

Punjab government has allocated 94.67 billion rupees in next financial year budget for modern training of Punjab Police, provision of latest equipments and high technology for improving its performance.

Punjab government for the first time in the history of the country has created 313 posts of additional district and session judges and 696 civil judges and 18.11 billion rupees have been allocated in the next year budget for various courts.

Punjab government will spend 32.16 billion rupees for the welfare of women out of next year’s development budget which include 15 percent quota for women in government jobs, three year relaxation in age, establishment of daycare centers and hostels for working women.