Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah has announced a 25% increase in the salaries of government employees under new provincial budget.
Claiming it to be a ‘tax free’ provincial budget for FY2021-22, CM Murad Ali Shah has also announced to increase minimum wage in the province.
The provincial budget which is yet to be tabled in Sindh Assembly, will most notably focus on health, education and social protection, said the Chief Minister.
The new provincial budget will be ‘expenditure oriented’ with allocation of Rs 300 billion on development purposes via several projects across the province.
CM Murad Ali Shah acknowledged that poverty alleviation programmes suffered due to COVID-19 pandemic over the past year. However, the chief minister reaffirmed that this issue will be duly addressed in this year’s budget.
Furthermore, Murad Ali Shah apprised that the government is focused on further increasing and improving public private partnership (PPP) initiatives.
Malir Expressway, Dhabeji Special Economic Zone, urban roads project in Karachi, Hub Canal and treatment plants will benefit from significant increase in financial resources, he said.
Addressing the issue of tax and revenue generation, CM Murad Ali Shah remarked that a20% increase has been proposed for the tax collection target of excise and taxation department and the Sindh Revenue Board’s (SRB).
These departments along with other revenue collecting bodies will adapt to Alternate Delivery Channels (ADC) from next year following the agreement with SBB, said Shah.
Moreover, e-stamps for collection of stamp duties would be introduced within the first three months of the next financial year.
The Chief Minister categorically stated that no new tax will be imposed in the provincial government’s budget for FY 2021-22.
