LAHORE: Provincial Finance Minister Ayesha Ghous Pasha Thursday told Punjab Assembly that the next budget 2017-18 would be exemplary and in accordance with people's aspirations.
"Pre-Budget discussion is a positive step towards effective budget making," she added.
She made these remarks during windup speech on Pre-Budget Discussion in the House.
The Minister said, recommendations the lawmakers put forth could be forwarded to the departments concerned so that these could be incorporated in the upcoming budget. She said the government was attaching high significance to the valuable proposals as these could help achieving targets to be set by the government under Punjab Growth Strategy.
The Minister especially thanked opposition leader for his suggestions and said, he (Mian Mehmudur Rashid) had always played a constructive role in running the assembly affairs.
She told the House that financial position of the province was far better than year 2008. She said, Orange Line project would bring a revolution in transport sector besides benefiting five lakh travelers daily. She stressed the need for installing solar tube-wells, crops insurance, agriculture research and subsidy to farmers and interest-free loans to growers. She said the government was contemplating to introduce more attractive scheme for welfare of the farming community. She said as far as GST on inputs was concerned, the issue was belonged to the central government however, she assured the House to put forward recommendations to the federal government.
The Minister said, local governments would be provided with ample resources in the next budget, adding it would ensure facilities at local level and ultimately issues faced by the masses would be resolved at lower level. She said, maximum funds would be allocated for improvement in education, health and agriculture sectors.
Earlier, the 9th sitting of the 27th session of the current assembly was started an hour and 25 minutes behind scheduled time with Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal in the Chair.
Soon after recitation from the Holy Quran, Provincial Minister Industries Sheikh Allauddin responded to questions by lawmakers during Question-Hour. The Chair disposed of four questions due to absence of movers.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan making statement on a call attention notice by PPP's Faiza Malik said, killing of PPP leader Babar Suhail Butt was outcome of old enmity, however, case had been registered and DIG Investigation was conducting the investigation. The Minister also responded to an Adjournment Motion moved by PML-N lawmaker.
The House during Zero Hour Notices, disposed of one notice while the other was referred to relevant committee.
On completion of day's agenda, the Speaker adjourned the sitting till next morning on Friday at 9am.
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