KP budget worth Rs505 billion for 2016-17 unveiled
PESHAWAR, 14 June: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced 10 percent increase in the salaries of provincial government employees as the annual budget for the financial year 2016-17 was unveiled here in the assembly session on Tuesday.
Finance minister Muzafar Said advocate presented the budget after it was approved by the provincial cabinet. The total outlay of the budget is estimated as Rs505 billions.
According to the minister, the province would get Rs293 billion from the federal government as its share in the divisible pool. Similarly, it will get another Rs85 billion in the head of water, oil and gas royalties and net hydel profit.
The province will generate its own revenue of Rs49.5 billion from the provincial taxes while it expects to get Rs36 billion as foreign funds and grants.
The government has allocated Rs161 billion for the annual development program while Rs33 billion have been earmarked for district development projects.
The minister said that Rs111 billion have been allocated for education sector. He said 160 new primary, 100 secondary and 200 smart schools would be established in the province during the next financial year. Similarly, he added, 500 new IT laboratories would be established in higher secondary schools while 100 religious seminaries would granted status of primary schools.
The minister further said that Rs38.42 billions have been earmarked for health sector out of which Rs3 billion has been allocated for provision of free medicines to patients in government hospitals.
Similarly, Rs32.94 billion have been allocated for police. The minister also announced three-year extension in the tenure of 11000 personnel of special police force. The contract of these police force personnel is going to expire June 30.
Establishment of a separate center for the rehabilitation and welfare of transgender community is also proposed in the budget and the government has allocated Rs200 million for the project.
The provincial government has also suggested increasing vehicle registration and token fees in the budget.
The budget speech by Finance Minister Muzafar Said was marred by slogans and hootings of opposition members as they chanted “sham sham” and “Khyber leaks” against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.
