The Punjab government is set to unveil a gigantic budget of over Rs5 trillion in the provincial assembly today. This will encompass expenditures spanning eight months of the caretaker government and the next three months under the newly elected administration.
The Punjab Assembly session is scheduled for 2pm, and will be presided over by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan.
Finance Department sources reveal that provincial Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman will present a budget worth Rs1.3 trillion for the final quarter of the fiscal year. This allocation, ranging from April to June 2024, is set to include provisions for development projects.
The sources further said that the caretaker government spent 85% of its annual development budget, and the new administration will have a few development resources available this fiscal year.
The caretaker government had spent a budget of Rs3.8 trillion, out of which a substantial sum of Rs675 billion was earmarked specifically for various development initiatives, the sources added.
Sources also indicate that development projects were greenlit during the caretaker government without prior approval from the Election Commission of Pakistan. To address this issue, it has been proposed to get the development expenditure incurred during the caretaker period through the Punjab Assembly, ensuring continuity and accountability in governance transitions.
Also Read: Punjab govt delays three-month budget presentation to March 18
Additionally, a separate supplementary budget for the financial year 2022-23 is also slated to be presented during today's session.
The new government has already gotten a one-month budget approved from the assembly.
The Punjab Assembly session will continue from March 18 to April 1. After today, it will resume on March 21 and 22 when a general discussion on the budget will be held. The annual budget 2023-24 will be discussed in the assembly session of March 25 and 26.
The annual budget will then be approved in the session on March 27, while the details of expenditures for the year 2023-24 will be presented in the Punjab Assembly session on March 28. In the March 29 session, there will be a general discussion on the supplementary budget, which will be approved in the March 30 session.
The last session of the budget session of the Punjab Assembly will be held on April 1. On April 1, proceedings will be conducted on Private Member's Day.
On March 15, the Punjab government decided not to present the three-month budget. Provincial Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman had said the budget will be presented in the House on March 18.
On the other hand, the government tabled six ordinances in the Punjab Assembly today. The ordinances include the Punjab Civil Servants Amendment Ordinance 2023, The Police Order Amendment Ordinance 2023, The Punjab Agriculture Marketing Regulatory Authority Amendment Ordinance 2023, The Punjab Healthcare Commission Amendment Ordinance 2023, and The Punjab Price Control Ordinance.
An extension to the ordinance of the Punjab Assembly Rules 1997 was also included on the agenda.
Moreover, a resolution presented by the Sunni Ittehad Council to designate a day regarding Islamophobia, which was postponed by a majority. The resolution was moved by opposition member Waqas Mann.
The resolution also paid tribute to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan and the United Nations.
