Punjab 2017-18 budget worth Rs 1,970 billion presented in assembly
The budget with an estimated outlay of Rs 1,970 billion was laid out
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Punjab finance minister Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha is presenting the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2017-18 in Punjab Assembly on Friday.
The budget with an estimated outlay of Rs 1,970 billion was laid out in the provincial assembly in a session presided over by Rana Muhammad Iqbal. However, the session was adjourned until Monday and discussion over allocation of funds is to continue then.
Following are the recommendations filed in the assembly
06:29pm: Session of Punjab Assembly adjourned until 11:00am on Monday
06:27pm: Finance minister presented finance bill and last financial year s local bodies budget in the assembly.
06:26pm: CM Shehbaz Sharif put books in young hands who held bricks until then: Dr Ghaus
06:22pm: Rs 22 billion worth of investment bonds would be issued in FY 2017-18: Dr Ghaus
06:21pm: Rs 116 billion recommended to be spent for minorities rights, safety and growth
06:12pm: No labourer would be earning less than Rs 15,000 a month, the government has decided: minister
06:11pm: Rs 158 billion recommended for "social programmes"
06:06pm: Rs 35 billion reserved for Orange Cam Scheme, At least 50,000 unemployed persons would be provided vehicles, says Dr Ghaus
05:57pm: Foundation stone of metro bus project would be laid in Faisalabad in 2017-18 and Lahore Orange Line Train Project is 70 percent complete, says the minister
05:50pm: Rs 3 billion recommended for small and medium enterprises. Rs 15 billion recommended for development of industrial sector
05:47pm: Rs 19 billion have been recommended to be reserved for livestock programme. Rs 1.66 billion reserved to provide livestock to needy women in rural areas.
05:46pm: For Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Road Programme, Rs 17 billion have been recommended by the finance minister today
Opposition tears copies of budget:
05:43pm: Punjab witnessed a record wheat yield this year of 22.2 million tonne, minister tells the assembly. Wheat price that of the last financial year has been maintained for 2017-18 at Rs 1,300 per 40 kilograms.
05:41pm: Small-scale farmers have been given interest-free loans worth of Rs 11.50 billion, Dr Ghaus said
05:40pm: Extension project of Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has been recommended to be granted Rs 2.70 billion by the provincial government.
05:39pm: Government has recommended to reserve Rs 25 billion for Saaf Pani Project
05:31pm: Rs 2 billion are recommended to be spent over Health Insurance Programme: finance minister
05:30pm: Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute to be completed in 2017-18 with another spending of Rs 17 billion, says Ghaus
05:29pm: Rs 700 million to be reserved for Dialysis facilities across the province
05:28pm: Another 2,000 beds would be added to the hospitals in coming financial year, says Dr Ghaus
05:27pm: Rs 3.5 billion recommended by the government to be spent on Hepatitis cause
Rana Sanaullah, Punjab Chief Minister attend the budget session today
05:26pm: Project over an advanced hospital in Murree is included in the provincial budget this year, asserts the minister
05:23pm: Dr Ghaus further on health: The government would provide another 100 mobile health units to facilitate people in far flung areas of South Punjab
05:22pm: Additional 20 CT scan machines would be installed in district-level hospitals, says the finance minister
05:21pm: Rs 20 billion recommended to be spent to upgrade DHQs and THQs in Punjab
05:20pm: Rs 112 recommended to be reserved for primary and secondary healthcare
05:18pm: Dr Ghaus recommends to spend Rs 40 crore to end ventilators shortage in Punjab hospitals
05:11pm: Rs 70 crore reserved for students studying in China and Germany institutes
05:06pm: Dr Ghaus said that Rs 11 billion have been distributed among needy students under Punjab Education Endowment Fund
05:04pm: Rs 97 billion reserved for Punjab Police as the government recommends to spend Rs 149 billion for law and order. A total of Rs 214 will be spent on roads and like infrastructure
05:03pm: Rs 16 billion to be spent to have a section of students get educated in private schools
05:00pm: Dr Ghaus told the session that thousands of schools are being shifted to solar energy under Khadim-e-Punjab Programme
04:59pm: At least 6,519 rooms to be erected in Punjab schools with Rs 13 billion
Details about health and development budget
04:58pm: Rs 6.50 billion reserved for education of women in underdevelopment areas
04:57pm Rs 635 billion out of the total reserved for annual development projects. Rs 36.30 billion reserved for agriculture. Rs 49.19 crore reserved for Chief Minister Secretariat. Rs 44.61 billion reserved for Higher Education Commission (HEC)
04:56pm: Admission percentage in primary schools in Punjab recorded at 98 percent, says the finance minister
04:55pm: The government aims at 100 percent attendance in schools under Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab
04:41pm: It should be cleared that on district level, education authorities were given Rs 169 billion in FY 2016-17 whereas 36.6 percent additional resources are being recommended this year, says Dr Ghaus.
04:39pm: Govt recommends to reserve Rs 345 billion for education which is 33 percent more than the last fiscal year, according to the minister
04:38pm: Funds reserved for the salaries this year are Rs 258 billion, for pensions Rs 173 billion, for locals govts Rs 361 while for service delivery expenditures Rs 228,
04:37pm: Dr Ghaus claims that budget for Punjab this year is greater than any province announced ever
04:35pm: Opposition parties tear copies of the budget, chant slogans against PML-N during the budget announcement
04:32pm: The government recommends to reserve Rs 185 billion for health sector, Dr Ghaus said.
04:31pm: A budget worth of Rs 1,935 billion is being presented by the provincial government, the minister confirmed.
04:30pm: Government of Punjab has saved unbelievable Rs 220 billion off funds reserved for several development projects
04:28pm: By the grace of Allah Almighty, Punjab is progressing faster than ever, says Dr Ghaus
04:26pm: The minister lauds Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif s efforts to better infratructure in Punjab and that of the federal government over historic China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
04:24pm Dr Ghaus addresses the session amidst opposition s protest and slogans.
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