KARACHI: The Sindh government on Monday presented its maiden provincial budget for the 2013-14 financial year with an outlay of Rs 617 billion.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah presented a record development and welfare deficit budget in the Sindh Assembly which was presided over by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.
The chief minister said Sindh would be receiving Rs 332 billion from the federal government.
He announced 10 to 15 % increase in the salaries of Sindh government employees of grade 1-15 and a ten % increase for employees of grade 16 and above. Pensions were also increased by 10 % and the minimum pension was raised from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000.
He said Rs 89 million have been earmarked to improve the performance of the police and Rs 48 billion for improving law and order situation.
The chief minister announced 20,000 fresh recruitments in the Sindh police.
He pledged to create 150,000 jobs in the province. As many as 300,000 youth will get vocational training with the help of the World Bank, he added.
He said that the government has allocated Rs 2 billion for Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) 32 billion for development projects and 11 billion for power distribution companies. Out of total outlay of Rs 617 billion, the government earmarked Rs110 bn for education.
Earlier, CM Shah said that people of Sindh have demonstrated complete trust in policies of the Pakistan People’s Party-led government.
“We have emphasized more on utilization of resources, Pakistan will progress if Sindh prospers,” he said.
