Khyber Pakhtunkhwa govt unveils Rs 603b budget for FY 2017-18

PESHAWAR (92 News) – The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced the Rs 603 billion budget for the new fiscal year 2017-18 on Wednesday.

The opposition raised an uproar during the budget speech and torn the budget copies. They also staged a walkout while chanting slogans.

Presenting the budget, Finance Minister Muzafar Said advocate announced a 10 percent increase in pay and pension of the government servants and merger of adhoc relief of 2010 in the basic pay.

He said the province will receive Rs 326 billion from the federal divisible pool which is 11 percent more than the amount received in the outgoing fiscal year.

The province will also get more than Rs 39 billion from the federal government for the war on terror. This is also 11 percent more that the amount received in the financial year 2016-17.

It will get over Rs 24 billion as royalty of oil and gas reflecting 43 percent increase as compare to the amount received in the outgoing fiscal year.

Muzafar Said advocate said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will get 20.78 billion as net profit of electricity and fifteen billion rupees as arrears of the net profit.

The province’s own receipts have been estimated at Rs 45.2 billion.

The minister said two Rs 208 billion have been allocated for the Annual Development Program showing an increase of 29 percent as compare to the ADP of outgoing fiscal year.

Rs 127 billion have been earmarked for the promotion of education. Over 400 new primary schools will be opened across the province besides recruitment of 14,000 teachers.

Rs 49 billion have been proposed for enhancing health facilities. Special efforts will be made to eradicate polio from the society.

Muzafar Said Advocate said about Rs 40 billion have been proposed for police which will help improve law and order.

He said about Rs four billion have been proposed for irrigation and over Rs 2 billion for technical education and training. Over Rs 6 billion will be spent on rehabilitation and repair of roads, bridges and government buildings. Muzafar said a number of hydel power stations will be completed in different districts which will generate 1533 megawatt electricity.

Eight thousand schools, four thousand mosques and about two hundred basic health units will be converted to solar power system.

The minister said work on Rapid Bus Transit Project Peshawar will be launched in August this year. It will be completed at a cost of Rs 53 billion in eight months.

He said four economic zones one each in Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Karak and Mansehra will be established under China Pakistan Economic Corridor. He said the federal government has approved lying of a railway line between Kohat and DIK and construction of Chakdara-Gilgit road via Chitral under CPEC.

Muzafar Said Advocate said Rs 28 billion will be provided to district governments in the new financial year for initiating development schemes.

Earlier, the provincial cabinet which met in Peshawar under chairmanship of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak approved the budget expenditures of 2017-18.