Rs1.69 trillion Punjab budget today

LAHORE

The Punjab government will present biggest ever size provincial budget on Monday (today) with estimated total outlay of over Rs1.69 trillion, and development programmes of over Rs640 billion, taxes on land and property, token taxes on luxury vehicle likely to revise and taxes to introduce on vacant commercial and domestic plots, some new services will also added to tax net while tax rate to low end service providers to bring down to 5 percent. 

According to the details available with The News, Rs175 billion are allocated for social sector development, Rs300 billion for infrastructure development, Rs48 billion for services sector, Rs55 billion for Chief Minister Special Initiatives and Rs33 billion for transport sector.

The government will get Rs100 billion loan from Chinese Exim Bank for the construction of orange metro train which will be utilised during the next fiscal year for timely completion of flagship project of the PML-N before the next general election.

The government has already announced Rs100 billion Kisan Package, out of which half will utilise during the fiscal year 2016-17, and half in fiscal year 2017-18. The government has decided to launch Kisan Loan Schemes on the pattern of successful Chief Minister Self-Employment Scheme (Apan Rozagar), in which cabs are given to unemployed youths. Under the scheme, different size of loans will be disbursed among the farmers while the mark-up of the loans will be paid by the government of the Punjab. Other than this, solar powered tube-wells are likely to be given to farmers at subsidised rates under the Kisan Package.

Following the success of the restaurant invoice management system, the government has planned to introduce salon invoice management system too in order to tax the people who get services of beauty parlour and saloons for make-up. The government is also considering withdrawing the exemption given to telecom sector on Internet data usage and IT services providing sectors which was given during the last budget.

Likewise federal government, the Punjab government has planned to imposed tax on the property which sold before five years of purchases; previously it was limited to two years. The government has also planned to withdraw taxes from cinemas, theatres, and other recreational performing companies in order to promote soft image and revive the social activities and life in the province.

According to the proposed Rs644 billion, likewise past, the government again proposed Rs142 billion huge resources in tune of new programmes (block allocations).

According to the document, Rs30 billion each are allocated for Chief Minister’s Special Package, Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme Phase III, IV, Saaf Paani Programme and Foreign Assisted Projects, Rs13 billion for Integrated Command and Control Centre of Police in Lahore, Rs10 billion each for Pakistan Kidney & Liver Transplant Institute (PKLI), Lahore Ring Road (Southern Loop), Rs9 billion for reconstruction of dangerous school buildings, and Rs7 billion for Lahore Knowledge Park. Interestingly, these all developed projects are mainly established in provincial metropolis except Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme Phase III, IV.

The government has diverted Rs6 billion laptops scheme projects to other projects mainly for Orange train project during the ongoing fiscal year has again proposed allocation of Rs6 billion in forthcoming budget, Rs6 billion for missing facilities at schools, Rs5 billion widening of canal road, Lahore.

The proposed allocation for school education is Rs22.62 billion, higher education Rs13.49 billion, special education Rs900 million, literacy and non-basic formal education Rs2.16 billion, sports Rs2.875 billion, health Rs26.191 billion, water supply and sanitation Rs14.95 billion, social welfare Rs610 million, women development Rs575 million, local government and community development Rs4.439 billion, roads Rs79.810 billion, irrigation Rs40.676 billion, energy Rs18.4 billion, public buildings Rs10.511 billion, urban development Rs16.866 billion, agriculture Rs12.219 billion, cooperatives Rs115 million, forestry Rs1.035 billion, wildlife Rs805 million, fisheries Rs690 million, food Rs834 million, livestock Rs4.675 billion, industries Rs3.83 billion, mines and minerals Rs518 million, governance and IT Rs9.821 billion, labour and HR development Rs702 million, transport Rs32.235 billion, emergency services Rs2.185 billion, tourism Rs1.07 billion, environment Rs58 million, information and culture Rs414 million, archaeology Rs460 million, Auqaf and religious affairs Rs115 million, human rights Rs575 million, planning and development Rs7.222 billion and special programme Rs30 billion.