Sindh budget to provide major benefit to workers: Sharmila

KARACHI: Pakistan People's Party Women Wing Sindh Information Secretary, Ms. Sharmila Farooqui, said on Monday that Sindh budget 2011-12 is a balanced and workers-friendly as the government employees and pensioners will get major relief from increase in salaries and pension.

"The tax-free and surplus budget in present situation is good a omen while significance raise in education and health funds would also provide greater benefit to people belonging to lower class", she said in a statement.

"The NFC award has increased Sindh's sales tax on services by 140pc, while right to collect sales tax on services is also a landmark achievement from the NFC award," Sharmila added.

She said the budget for education had been increased by 15 percent which was a great achievement as it would bring major development in education sector.

Ms. Sharmila stated that the government will appoint 80,000 new teachers in all schools, establish 300 new schools and restore 124 primary schools across the province, while major steps would be taken to ensure quality education at all levels, particularly in universities.

"The people at local level will also get major benefit as the share of local governments' funds has been increased from Rs. 120.815 billion to Rs. 135.171 billion.

This will provide major relief to people belonging to rural areas," she said.

Ms. Sharmila said that the Sindh government had also allocated Rs4.175 billion for safe drinking water schemes and sanitation to provide facilities to the people who faced problems in the past.

Sufficient funds have been allocated for development of Karachi and other major cities of Sindh.

She informed that 335 acres of land has also been allocated for a new city Zulfikarabad to be established along coastal belt of Thatta. The tax-free Rs457.5 billion budget has shown an estimated surplus of Rs 882 million, which is laudable, she concluded.

Copyright Reuters, 2011