Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz said that the Punjab government despite difficult conditions presented a tax-free and people-friendly budget. He said that the people of the province had been given relief in the real sense in the current budget. Under the historic relief package amounting to Rs 200 billion , 10 kg flour bag is now available at Rs.490/. He maintained that along with this relief package and for the convenience of the poor people, Rs.134 billion subsidized package has also been given.
CM revealed that under Rs.134 billion discount package, people would be provided edibles at subsidized rates. Hamza Shahbaz stated that for ensuring permanent progress in the education, health and social sectors of South Punjab,resources have been significantly increased.
CM emphasised that the 15 percent increase in salaries and 5 percent increase in pension would give substantial relief to the government servants. Grade 1 to grade 19 government servants who are not getting other allowances will be given 15 percent special allowance, he outlined. CM underscored that we have given due right to the labourers by increasing their minimum wage from Rs.20000/ to Rs.25000/. CM disclosed that free medicines would be provided in the Tehsil Headquarter hospitals and Health centres of Punjab from 1st of July adding that the cancer patients would also be provided free medicines.
Opposition attempted to hinder budget presentation:Provincial Minister Attullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the opposition parties attempted to hinder the present government’s public service mission by delaying the provincial budget presentation.
Addressing a press conference along with Punjab Minister Malik Ahmad Khan, he said the staff of the Punjab Assembly was creating hurdles in presentation of budget 2022-23, as provincial ministers had been stopped from entering the assembly premises.
Tarar said that an emergency meeting of the provincial cabinet was held on Tuesday night in which Secretary Law presented a summary that the Punjab Assembly speaker did not allow presentation of budget according to the schedule. If the budget session was not convened, it would affect the rights of masses as the budget would bring welfare and relief for them, he added.
He said that in the present circumstances, the Punjab cabinet advised the Punjab governor on Tuesday night to convene the 40th session of the assembly and three ordinances were issued by the governor after approval of the provincial cabinet.
Malik Ahmad Khan said that the opposition was trying to create constitutional crisis in the province by using delaying tactics, adding that it had created crises on the occasion of chief minister’s election and the provincial cabinet oath. He said that he could not even imagine that Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi could create hurdles in presenting the provincial budget. “It is not just about governance but the life of people,” he said.
The minister said that the budget was linked with the matters and well-being of common man as around 120 million people of the province would directly benefit from it.
