KARACHI - Sindh government led by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will unveil an over Rs1.3 trillion budget for the fiscal year 2021-22, proposing a 15 percent increase in salaries and pensions of the government employees. 

Contrary to the previous year that saw a decline in development budget owing to COVID-19 pandemic, the Sindh government on the footings of the federal budget will present a development-oriented budget with a total outlay of Rs280 billion for the next fiscal year, increasing uplift projects in health and education sectors. 

The provincial government will present a no-tax budget in the provincial assembly as Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah, who has returned from the United States (US) after a private trip, will table it before the Sindh Assembly. A proposal, according to sources, from the excise department regarding increasing vehicle registration fee and imposing property tax on 120 square yard could not get nod from the provincial authorities.      

Employees from grades 1 to 15 area likely to get 15 percent raise in their salaries in the upcoming budget, while it has been proposed to raise salaries of employees of grade 16 and above up to 10 percent. The provincial government has decided to earmark Rs30 billion for development projects in health sector and over Rs22 billion for the uplift projects in education department. 

Other allocations proposed in the budget included over Rs7 billion for transport projects, Rs1.20 billion for climate change projects, and Rs2.80 billion for youth affairs. The provincial government has decided to launch 10 new mega projects for Karachi in the upcoming budget with an allocation of Rs24 billion.

The allocations have been made for water supply and road construction projects of the port city. Allocations have been made in the provincial budget for the schemes in Lyari, Malir, Baldia Town, Keamari and the district Central. More than Rs3 billion will also be allocated for the purchase of new buses in Karachi in the provincial budget. 

Rs1 billion amount would be earmarked for social protection and poverty alleviation program while the minimum wage for labourers would be set at Rs25,000, as announced by Bialwal Bhutto Zardari.

A huge amount would also be earmarked for industrial workers in terms of medical care and social protection in the budget. Sindh government will likely announce a relief package for senior citizens in the provincial budget for the year 2021-22.

The government will announce the issuance of the ‘Senior Citizen Azadi Card’ to the province’s elderly citizens. Around 300 million rupees allocation is proposed for the Senior Citizen Azadi Card in the 2021-22 budget. Separately, the provincial government will allocate Rs150 million for Darul Aman and Rs500 million for old age homes.