Relief measures in the budget 2017-18

ISLAMABAD: Following relief measures were announced by Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar while presenting National Budget for 2017-18 at the parliament house on Friday:

1. 1. 10pc increase will be given on the pay of all officers and Jawans as special allowance

2.  In the budget speech FY 2016-17 three allowances were merged. However, the 2008 adhoc relief allowance to the Army and the 2010 adhoc relief allowance for the civilians was not merged. A 10pc adhoc relief allowance on the merged salary to all civil and armed forces employees has been proposed

3. 3. 10pc increase is also being proposed in pensions

4. 4. Up to BPS-5 employees are being exempted from paying house-rent charges at the rate of 5pc.

5. 5. Daily allowance - domestic - is being increased by 60pc

6. 6. Orderly allowance is being revised from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 14,000

7. 7. Rate for transportation of dead bodies and local burial are being revised from Rs. 1,600 to Rs. 4,800 and Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 15,000 respectively.

8. 8. Constant attendant allowance admissible to Armed Forces and CAF is being increased from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 7,000

9. 9. Different allowances for offices and sailors of Pakistan Navy are being revised, including hard-lying pay, compensation for batman, uniform allowance and ration allowance

10. 10. Design allowance is being increased by 50pc

11. 11. For employees of Pakistan Post, certain rates of allowances are being revised

12. 12. The Jawans of the Frontier Constabulary are performing their duties all over Pakistan. In order to make their salary structure attractive it has been decided to allow them a Rs. 8,000 per month fixed allowance. One-third of that allowance has been allowed with effect from March 1, 2017; the one-third of it will be allowed from July 1, 2017 and the balance one-third from July 1, 2018

13. 13. The above measures are estimated to cost an additional Rs. 125 billion. It should be remembered that additional amount in last year's increase in salary and allowances was Rs. 67 billion

14. 14. Minimum wage: On the pattern of increase in the pay of Government employees the minimum wage of labour for their benefit is being increased from Rs. 14,000 to Rs. 15,000 per month.