Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who also holds the Finance portfolio, on Tuesday, presented the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 with a total outlay of Rs1.714 trillion in the Sindh Assembly amid uproar from the PTI members.
The budget includes a development program of Rs459.68 billion with Rs118 billion for Karachi-based schemes, the chief minister said.
Murad Ali Shah announced a 15% increase in the salaries of public employees, a 5% increase in pension, and relief in sales tax on services for several sectors.
With receipts estimated at Rs1.679 trillion, the budget deficit stands at Rs33.849 billion or 2% of the total outlay.
Key measures
The chief minister announced that for the upcoming fiscal year 2022-23 the government was abolishing cotton fees, professional tax, and entertainment duty.
The infrastructure development cess for export-oriented units is also being removed, he said.
The government has allocated Rs26.85 billion for a pro-poor relief package.
The chief minister announced the following other measures.
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Rs23.324 wheat subsidy
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Rs3 billion in subsidy on seeds
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Sindh government employees to get a 15% pay raise and have their earlier ad hoc relief merged with their salaries. The CM said that if any other province offers a higher raise, he will match that figure
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Pensioners get 5% increment
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Relief on Sales Tax on Services extended for the next year for several sectors including TV cable operators and food delivery services
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Rs4 billion allocated for the purchase of buses
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Total allocation for Karachi-based schemes stands at Rs118 billion for the fiscal year 2022-23, including Rs70 billion under provincial ADP, Rs5 billion under district ADP, and Rs41 billion in foreign-funded projects.
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Sindh govt declares Gambat is the first medical city in Sindh.
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Subsidies on solar tube wells
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GST on Services for the IT sector slashed from 13% to a mere 3%.
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Peoples Bus Services to start in Karachi this year
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The minimum monthly wage has been maintained at Rs25,000.
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Small farmers will get loans while the government will also provide livestock to poor households
The chief minister said that for the first time appointment letters were issued to 40,000 teachers and the government had launched 1122 rescue services which began in Karachi and will be extended to other parts of the province.
He said that the construction work on the Orange Line bus rapid transit project is near completion in the current fiscal year.
The chief minister also raised the issue of ‘unfair’ water distribution of water resources and said that the government had taken up the matter with the federal government.
Earlier, the cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Shah, was briefed on the budget by the finance secretary.
The PPP-led Sindh government has labeled its budgetary proposals as ‘Citizens Budget.’
