The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday approved the 2008-09 provincial budget, rejecting 32 cut motions of the opposition in their absence. The house approved 41 demands of grants worth Rs 447.12 billions amid boycott of the opposition who were demanding issuance of notification of the leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly.
Earlier, the Punjab Assembly resumed with its ongoing budget session on Wednesday with Speaker Rana Mushood in the chair. The session started with recitation of Holy Quran. Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira told the house that in the demands of grants Rs 281.81 billions were for non-developmental expenditures, while Rs 165.33 billions were for developmental projects.
In the demands of grants for 2008-09 fiscal year, there were Rs 56.82 billions for the purchase of wheat and sugar, he said. The house also approved expenditures of rupees five billion for development programme through additional grants from the federation and other sources. The house rejected all the 32 cut motions, tabled by the 30 opposition members due to their absence from the house.
The Punjab Assembly will discuss Rs 53.26 billion supplementary budget on Thursday. Voting on supplementary budget will be held on June 30. The house will approve the Punjab Finance Bill on June 27. After approval of the Punjab budget for the 2008-09 year, Speaker Rana Mushood adjourned the house to meet again on Thursday at 10.00 am.
Moreover, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has accorded approval of charged expenditures worth Rs 78.88 billions of the 2008-09 year vis-à-vis of Lahore High Court, Governor's House, Secretariat, wheat purchase and commercial banks loans.
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