Post-budget press conference: Murad says attention given to poverty alleviation

Addressing the post -budget conference on Wednesday, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the provincial government has given special attention to poverty alleviation.

He said 20% salaries of government employees have been increased in the province.

Expressing concern over the coronavirus pandemic, CM Murad said that the province is facing issues regarding vaccine supply. He urged the federal government to take responsibility and solve this issue.

The Sindh government Tuesday presented Rs1.477 trillion budget for financial year 2021-22 with estimated deficit of Rs25.738 billion. The provincial government did not introduce any new tax in the budget, and proposed 20% increase in the salaries of government employees and 10% raise in pensions. The Sindh government also proposed the minimum wage at Rs25,000 against the existing Rs17,500, in the new fiscal year.

Talking about provincial taxes, Chief Minister Sindh said that Rs329 billion have been allocated for total tax and nontax receipts. “We believe that the Sindh Revenue Board will be our biggest revenue source and we have set a target of Rs150 billion for the next financial year."

He said that provincial government has set a target of Rs120 billion for excise and taxation department for the next financial year. The collection target for the Board of Revenue Department has been earmarked at Rs30.64 billion.

CM Murad said Rs24 billion has earmarked to be collected under nontax revenue including home department receipts, chalan and fees.

He said the receipts on account of foreign project assistance, budgetary support loans and grants were estimated at Rs71 billon.

Coming to the expenditure side, CM Murad said that a major portion of the total budget outlay comes into the current revenue expenditure head, also called the non-development expenditure.

“This includes salaries and pensions and funds given to the local government, which for this year has been allocated at Rs82 billion,” said CM.

Other major recipients of this expenditure are the grants given to major institutions including both government and private institutions, he said.

“Rs6.5 billion will be given in grants to public sector universities, Rs2 billion grant for SSC and HSC students, Rs14 billion has been allocated for NICVD, Rs7.1 billion for SIUT and Rs8.2 billion grant for PPHI,” he said.

For current capital expenditure, which includes repayments of loans and funds for private partnerships projects, Rs59.5 billion has been allocated.

He said that a poverty alleviation programme for small business is being initiated under which loans between Rs200,000 and 500,000 would be given for which Rs2 billion has been earmarked.

Similarly, for small farmers Rs200,000 will be given as loans, and Rs3 billion has been allocated for this purpose. For small technology-based startups, the provincial government has earmarked Rs1 billion.