Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has announced that the provincial budget for the upcoming financial year will be presented on 16 June, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday.
Speaking at what he described as Punjab’s first-ever pre-budget conference in Lahore, the minister outlined the government's fiscal priorities and reviewed the financial challenges faced during the past year.
Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said the province encountered significant difficulties during the previous financial year, noting that the government allocated Rs25 billion to flood rehabilitation and recovery programmes aimed at supporting affected communities and restoring damaged infrastructure.
The minister also highlighted ongoing austerity measures, stating that members of the Punjab Assembly were subject to a 25 percent reduction in certain expenditures. He added that between two and three per cent of government employees’ salaries was being directed towards austerity and cost-saving efforts.
Discussing subsidies and public support initiatives, he said the Punjab government was contributing Rs25.8 billion to the federal government in the form of subsidies for goods transport. He further noted that financial assistance was being provided for 220,000 motorcycles under a provincial support programme.
The finance minister also pointed to progress under the "Apna Chhat Apna Ghar" housing initiative, stating that interest-free loans had been provided to 160,000 people to help them secure housing.