Punjab budget of more than Rs5 trillion to be presented in assembly

The Punjab Assembly, a colossal budget exceeding Rs5 trillion is set to be disclosed, encompassing expenditures for the remaining eight months under the caretaker government and the initial three months of the newly elected administration. The session, scheduled for 2 pm, will be chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan. Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman is poised to unveil a budget of Rs1.3 trillion for the final quarter of the fiscal year, directing funds towards developmental projects from April to June 2024. With the caretaker government utilizing 85% of its annual development budget, the new administration inherits resources for continued project implementation. Notably, developmental initiatives initiated during the caretaker period without Election Commission approval are being scrutinized for accountability. Concurrently, a supplementary budget for 2022-23 is slated for presentation. Additionally, six ordinances, including amendments to civil servants, police, agriculture, healthcare regulations, and price control, were tabled in today’s session. A resolution addressing Islamophobia, originally proposed by the Sunni Ittehad Council, was deferred. The resolution also acknowledged the contributions of Imran Khan and the United Nations in combating Islamophobia.