KARACHI, June 05 (APP): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah,
who also holds the portfolio of the finance minister, on Monday
presented Rs 1043.135 billion annual budget for the fiscal year
2017-18.
The budget shows 20 per cent increase over the current financial year
estimates of Rs 869.12 billion.
The receipts of the province for FY-2017-18 with 20.4 per cent
increase over current fiscal year budget estimates of Rs 854.50 billion, are estimated at Rs 1028.515 billion, thus indicating an overall deficit of
Rs 14.32 billion.
In the budget speech Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah
noted that the current fiscal year has been a year of
phenomenal changes both within and outside the country.
As citizens of the world, he continued, we must strive to keep
pace with the changes. There is great potential in Sindh, its people,
its resources and the unique position it holds in the country.
However, we as a nation cannot afford to be lazy and think that growth
will take care of itself. It is only through smart choices, informed
decision making and unrelenting effort that we can forge ahead for a
better future.
He said that he and his cabinet were devoted to the
progress and uplift of this province.
The province had seen the upgradation of schools and establishment
of colleges and universities besides the lining of canals,
installation of solar powered tube-wells, establishent of agro-export
processing zones, committment of the training of law and order
personnel.
He said his government through dedicated attempts had overseen
the inclusion of transport systems within China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC).
He said the task before the government was arduous and demanded
single-minded focus and perseverance.
” We are armed with the vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. The sagacious and visionary leadership
of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari,
emboldened us to take necessary decisions and tough stances,” he said.
He said it was not an easy road, but together we have managed to
make great strides.
He believed that his government was on the path towards a healthy,
educated, safer, prosperous and modern Sindh.
The leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party believed in outlining
policies which had far-reaching long term benefits for the nation as a
whole.
Being a party worker, Syed Murad Ali Shah said, he with the
support of his team was striving to serve all of Sindh in order to
bring the people and their resources to their full potential.
He government wanted to ensure that our future generations grow up
in an environment, which maximized prospects for growth and
development in all the sectors of society.
He said his goal was to prove that the fundamental battle for the
hearts and minds of a generation can be accomplished only under
democracy.
He said PPP Government had never compromised on its principles of
serving the people of Sindh regardless of caste, creed or religion. We
must concentrate on providing equal opportunity and economic
empowerment across the board, in both urban and rural areas. Poverty
and ignorance restrict growth, pushing us backward, no matter where it
is situated. Only when our people have access to the best healthcare,
education and economic opportunities will our goals be accomplished,
he said.
He said this budget represented a continuation of our policies and
is testament to our leadership’s consistency and single mindedness
towards the uplift of the people who have placed their faith and trust
in us.
Sindh Chief Minister in his speech also presented
revised estimates for the year 2016-17.
He said against an estimated budgetary amount of Rs 854.5 billion,
the revised receipts of the province for the current financial year
2016-17 stood at Rs 873.9 billion.
He said Board of Revenue and Excise, Taxation and Narcotics
Control Department were able to achieve their tax targets. However,
non-tax receipts targets were compromised due to fewer land
transactions during current financial year.
The provincial tax and non-tax receipt was revised to Rs 159.29
billion against an estimated target of Rs 166.03 billion.
He said that on the expenditure side, the budget has been revised
from Rs 869.11 billion to Rs 877.59 billion. The current expenditure
has been revised to Rs 606.96 billion from Rs 572.76 billion. The
increase was primarily because of the outside supplementary budgetary
allocation of PKR 25 billion made on account of settlement of
longstanding electricity dues.
” We had undertaken a comprehensive reconciliation exercise of
electricity dues and as a result of our diligent efforts only Rs 27
billion were payable against a demand of Rs 55 billion,” he said.
The development expenditure was revised at Rs 210.5 billion against
an estimated allocation of Rs 225 billion.
He mentioned that current financial year recorded the highest
utilization of development funds. By the end of CFY, Sindh Government
would be able to spend 88 percent of the development budget that was
20 percent higher than last fiscal year. It reflected on our growing
capacityand our rational financial management.
The Chief Minister said that his government had revisited its
release policy and had decided to release allocated funds in one go
for schemes to be completed during current financial year, release of
allocated funds for ongoing schemes in two equal installments and the
total release for 502 schemes earmarked to be completed during current
fiscal year including 355 schemes kept on fast track.
He said the total receipts of province for financial year 2017-18
were estimated at Rs 1.02 trillion against an estimated expenditure of
Rs 1.04 trillion. Receipt estimate reflected an increase of 19.3
percent over budget estimate of Rs 854.5 billion for Current Financial
Year.
The receipts from Federal Government on account of revenue
assignment, straight transfer and grants were estimated at Rs 627.3
billion. Receipts from Federal Government were 61.5 % of the total
receipts of the Province.
The receipts of Federal PSDP were estimated at Rs 27.3
billion. Receipts on account of Foreign Project Assistance (FPA),
budgetary support loans and grants were estimated at Rs 42.7 billion.
Receipts from provincial own sources including tax and non-tax
receipts were estimated at Rs 199 billion.
He said the targets of provincial own sources had been increased by
16.5 percnet. On the expenditure side, the outlay of budget was
estimated at Rs 1.04 trillion as against budget estimate of Rs 869.11
billion, reflecting an increase of 19.6 percent.
The current expenditure including Current Revenue Expenditure of
Rs 666.47 billion and Current Capital Expenditure of Rs 32.64 billion
stands at Rs 699.11 billion.
Syed Murad Ali Shah said that for next financial year, the current
expenditure constituted 68.2 percnet of the total provincial budget
reflecting an increase of 14 percent over estimates of Rs 572.7
billion for current financial year.
Sindh Chief Minister said the estimates of development expenditure
for financial year 2017-18 were pitched at Rs 274 billion. This
allocation was unprecedented and an all-time high. It spoke of
volumes about our efficient resource allocation.
Sindh had witnessed a decade of sustainable development.
“We are committed to take Sindh to new heights of progress and
prosperity,” he vowed.
During the current financial year, Sindh Government undertook
interventions to improve financial management and reporting.
It had submitted before this house quarterly Budget Execution
Reports. Also, for successive years, his government had been preparing
the Budget Strategy Paper unfolding commitment of the government
towards transparency and disclosure.
He said the increase in non-salary allocation of
education sector was much higher and had been increasing over the
years. For the next financial year, his government proposed to enhance
the budget for education to Rs 202.2 billion from Rs 163.12 billion.
The grants for universities and education institutions had been
kept at Rs 5 billion.
He said during the current financial year the government had
allocated Rs 17.230 billion for annual development programme (ADP) of
education sector. 48 important development schemes had been completed
during the current fiscal year.
The Chief Minister said for the human resources and research
development, Sindh government rehabilitated 39 institutions with
World Bank assisted Sindh Skill Development Project.
He said towards increasing the quality of education for some of
the province’s most under privileged areas.
About health facilites, he said provision of quality health care was
the responsibility of every government. This was a basic right of all
its citizens instead of as a privilege for the few who could afford to
pay expensive doctors in private clinics.
Beginning at the basics, vaccines were the most effective
health intervention in terms of economics. They lower the possibility
of disease and ensure that children grow up healthier and better
equipped to fight with disease throughout their
lives. This lowered the cost of healthcare required in the future.
Health remains a priority sector and resource allocation for the
sector kept on expanding.
For the next financial year, an allocation of Rs 100.32 billion
was proposed as against an allocation of Rs 79.88 billion during
current financial year. The ADP of health was pitched at Rs 15.50
billion compared to allocation of Rs 14 billion for Current Financial
Year.
He said for building on our successes and as a continuation of our
policies, his government had a detailed roadmap for expanding our
health sector.
For ensuring better law and order, he said, the share of Home
Department including the police, jails, rangers and other law
enforcing agencies was the second largest.
Budgetary allocation for next financial was proposed at Rs 92.91
billion which reflected an increase of 10 percent over allocation of
Rs 84.26 billion during current financial year.
