Murad Ali Shah presents Rs2,244bn Sindh budget

Development projects for flood victims, poverty alleviation are expected

KARACHI (Dunya News) – Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Saturday presented a Rs2,244 billion budget for the next fiscal year 2023-24 in the Sindh Assembly as he promised that the PPP would bring stability to the country.

With an allocation of Rs150bn for the people affected by the devastating floods experienced in August last year, he said the provincial government’s focus was development and providing relief to the people.

He said Sindh housing suffered a loss of $10billion owing to floods, adding that the aid was equally distributed among the affected. “We have allocated Rs556million for operation and maintenance of mobile hospitals,” he added.

— Sindh Chief Minister House (@SindhCMHouse) June 10, 2023

Salient Features

Development: Rs689.603 billion

“It includes Rs380.5 billion for Provincial ADP, Rs30.0 billion for district ADP, Rs266.691 billion for Foreign Projects Assistance and Rs22.912 billion for federal PSDP schemes under execution of Sindh Government.”

Education: Rs312.245 billion

The budget will be used for recruitment of school teachers, upgradation of primary school teachers, school upgaradtion (Rs846.709 billion), capacity building of colleges (Rs26.78 billion), Sindh HEC (Rs23.076), Sindh Education Foundation (Rs15.600 billion), Distribution of free textbooks and non-formal education centres (Rs4.083 billion), DEEP and ASPIRR projects (Rs12.114 billion), and others.

Health: Rs214.547 billion

It covers grant to Institue of Urology and Transplant (Rs15.316 billion), grant to Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jeelani Institute, Gambat (Rs6 billion), Grant to Indus Hospital Karachi (Rs4 billion), grant to Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (Rs7.196 billion), Child Health Services (Rs2.612 billion), medical education (Rs13.252 billion), Grant and Stipend for Medical Universities (Rs4.162 billion), National health support program (USD 258million), and others.

Law and Order: Rs 143.568 billion

It will be spent on procurement of sophisticated field (Military Grade) weapons and surveillance equipment (Rs2.786 billion), procurement of police vehicles (Rs3.569 billion), Police Welfare & Assistance (Rs272.78 million), Justice at People’s Doorsteps (Rs22.02 billion), and others.

Irrigation System: Rs25.703 billion

It includes Rs.900 million for silt clearance, Rs5 billion for overall repair and maintenance of the system, Rs750 million for the Salinity Control and Reclamation Program (SCARP), and payments to IRSA (Rs16 million).

Women Development and Empowerment: Rs705.983 million

Livestock & Fisheries: Rs10.987 billion

Forestation: Rs2.78 billion

Religious Harmony: Rs1.52 billion

Agriculture Engineering: Rs18.9 billion

Public Health Engineering: Rs7.87 billion

Sports and Recreation: Rs1.83 billion

Culture & Tourism: Rs7.5 billion

Food Security: Rs237.875 billion

Environment & Alternate Energy-Green Revolution: Rs46.1 billion

Land Revenue Management: Rs5.8 billion

Information Technology: Rs1.24 billion

Archiving and Preservation: Rs38.475 million

Industries and Small and Medium Enterprises: Rs1.8 billion

Works and Services: Rs23.47 billion

Information, Advertisement & Publicity: Rs9.47 billion

Superannuation and Pension: Rs195.269 billion

Debt Servicing and Interest payments: Rs96 billion

Local Finance: Rs88 billion

Karachi Mega Projects: Rs12.5 billion

-- Expenditures --

Current revenue expenditure: Rs1,411.221 billion

Current capital expenditure: Rs136.256 billion

Development expenditure: Rs700.103 billion

Non-tax revenue: Rs32 billion

-- Taxes --

Tax collection: Rs433.488 billion

Non-tax revenue: Rs32 billion

Banking sector: 10pc super tax

Pharmaceutical: 10pc super tax

Sugar industry: 10pc super tax

Textile industry: 10pc super tax

Petroleum sector (Income over Rs300 million): 10pc sector