ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):The government has announced a special package for the encouragement and welfare of artist community besides special incentives for promoting film industry in the country for the first time in the federal budget 2018-19.
Member National Assembly, Tahira Aurangzeb, said that a special package had been announced for the welfare of artist through which they could get funds for their any genuine hardship including medical assistance, domestic problems or starting a new business for their better future.
“For enhancing the standard of film industry, import of advance film manufacturing machinery and reduction of taxes on production of new film are the major incentives announced in the budget”, she said while talking to APP on Friday.
She said that special steps would be taken in the new fiscal year 2018-19 for encouraging film industry in the country which would help generate financial revenues for the people associated with this sector.
“This step will also discourage the trend of screening foreign movies in our cinemas which are earning a huge money through grabbing the attention of our local film lovers.”
“Our films will also be screened in China, which is also a remarkable step for the promotion of local industry”, she shared.
Overall, she observed, no new increase in the prices of basic commodities of life including patrol, diesel, oil etc. had been announced which would directly provide relief to the masses.
She said a lot of tax relaxation had been announced for people for the first time in the country, which would give a good relief to the general public.
The government had targeted luxury items like Cigarette, tobacco products, makeup etc. which were not preference of low income groups of society, she said adding, few imported stuff was also covered under tax net as these products were normally used by high income groups.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):Federal Minister for Finance Mufta Ismail Friday said on the instruction of Prime Minister Rs 10 billions had been allocated for a program to end child stunting in the country.
Giving a budget speech in National Assembly, the minister said that amount for the program could be increased if needed any time.
He stated that 30% of Pakistani children were stunted due to malnutrition and inadequate food, adding that there was no more tolerable.
He reiterated that the government would provide through supplementary grants any amount that was needed to end child stunting.

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (APP):Minister for Finance Dr Miftah Ismail Friday said Diamer-Bhasha dam, being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 474 billion, would help increase national water storage capacity from 38 days to 45.
Presenting federal budget for the year 2018-19 in the National Assembly, he congratulated the nation that the government had recently approved construction of the dam, having 6.4 million acres feet live storage capacity and installed capacity of 4,500 mega watts electricity.
In the budget, the minister said, the government had proposed an allocation of Rs 23.7 billion for the dam, while overall investment in the water sector was being increased from Rs 36.7 billion to Rs 79 billion.

LAHORE, Apr 27 (APP):Employees of the federal government expressed their pleasure over the increase in salaries in the budget for the fiscal year 2018-19.
Employees in different offices were witnessed greeting each other on the increase of salaries.
Shabbir Ahmad, an employee of WAPDA while talking to this scribe, said that reduction in taxes on commodities and increase in salaries would surely provide relief to salaried class persons.
He said the step of increasing salaries would also be helpful in raise of living standard of salaried persons.
Shahid Mehmood, an employee of the Pakistan Railways said that prices of several products and especially education of children had become unmanageable but this relief by the government would make it a bit easy to manage.
He suggested that fees of private educational institutions should be rationalized and regularized by the government so that extra burden on parents could be eliminated.
Khurram Manzoor, a federal government employees expressed his happiness over raise in the salary and said that it is a great gift of the government, adding the servants were already expecting a big relief in the budget and the PMLN government fulfilled the desire of its employees.

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (APP):Government has allocated an amount of Rs28,255.529 million for various new and ongoing projects of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Division under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19.
Under new schemes, the government has allocated an amount of Rs500 million for Bosaq Hydropower Project Bajaur Agency.
An amount of Rs24,500 million allocated as Block allocation Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) ongoing scheme.
Similarly, an amount of Rs1,117.338 million allocated for construction of Nahqi Tunnel Not make Agency, Rs1,318.801 million for Zyara to Dabori Road, Aurakzai Agency, Rs500 million for widening and improvement of Ghalanai, MohmandGatroad and Rs319 million allocated for Chao Tango small dam.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):The government will launch a project of National Poverty Graduation Programme (NPGP) and for this purpose Rs 9.5 billion
(US $ 82.6 million) have been allocated during the next fiscal year 2018-19.
Under the programme, BISP beneficiaries who are willing to start their own businesses will be provided with a one-time cast grant of Rs 50,000 to start their own business.
Presenting budget speech here on Friday, Federal Minister for Finance Miftah Islamil said the project would be executed to assist the ultra-poor and very poor in graduating out of poverty on a sustainable basis and enable women and youth to realize their development potential.
It would help for the economic well-being of marginalized segments providing them an opportunity to attain a better level of social status, he added.

PESHAWAR, Apr 27 (APP):People of every walk of life including politicians, civil society, academicians, businessmen and government employees here Friday welcomed the Federal Budget 2018-19 and termed it goal-oriented, and people friendly in which maximum relief was provided to all.
Despite challenges, PMLN Government presented a record sixth people friendly budget in which maximum relief was provided to all segment of the society including poor strata, middle class, government employees, pensioners and farmers besides common man.
They also welcomed 10pc increase in the salaries and pension of the government employees besides raising of minimum pension to Rs10000 and enhancing minimum pension to Rs 15000 above 75 years of age.
The artists community also welcomed federal budget and government four point package for revival of film industry in the country.
Sardar Aurganzaib Nalota, PMLN Parliamentary leader in KP Assembly told APP that federal government has deserved full credit and appreciation for presenting a record sixth budget as per people’s wishes and expectations despite challenges.
Nalota said 5.8 percent GDP growth this year was possible due to the government’s measures to control power load-shedding and bring peace and normalcy to the country, adding the Government had added over 12000megawatt electricity to the nation grid, resulting economic prosperity and industrial boost besides encouraging infant industries by promoting perfect competition in market.
While welcoming allocation of Rs 943.175 million under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) to execute four ongoing and five new projects, he said this would help accelerate oil and
gas exploration activities in potential areas across the country.
He said Rs133.5 billion allocated for various Special Programmes including ERRA, FATA 10 years Plan, Security Enhancement, and PM’s Youth Initiatives under the Public Sector Development Programme 2018-19 is also highly commendable.
While lauding earmarking of Rs 8.5 billion for Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) and Rs10 billion for FATA 10 Years Plan, he said it would help expedite pace of
economic development in tribal areas. He also welcomed allocation of Rs90 billion for rehabilitation of TDPs.
He said there was no justification of opposition’s boycott during time of budget and it would have better if they listen the budget’s speech with calm.
“PMLN government should be applauded for presenting an inclusive budget despite challenges as the government cannot function even for a day without presenting the budget,” he maintained.
He remarked that next elected government would have the right to make changes in the budget as it would deem fit.
He said Government had always welcomed positive criticism and criticism for sake of criticism should be avoided in the country’s larger interest.
He said Pakistan had all the potential to join the club of developed economies by 2025 if present economic policies continue in the country.
Senior Constitutional Expert, Alamzaib advocate have also welcomed the budget and termed it very positive and wide ranging.
He said present assemblies have complete jurisdiction to approve country’s budget for next financial year as Government can’t function without the budget. “From where govt employees and
pensioner will get salaries and pensions if non-developmental budget was not approved,” he questioned.
The noted lawyer said there is no legal lacuna or legal hurdle in presentation of the budget by the present assemblies.
To a question, he said there was nothing unconstitutional in appointment of Miftah Ismail as Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economics Affairs before presentation of the budget.
Senior academician and economic expert, Professor Dr Muhammad Naeem has welcomed the education programme of the government that would ensure 100 percent school admission to children across the country.
He said the government had identified different raw materials that are used in the export sector and
proposal of exempting 104 raw materials from customs duty and reduction of duty on 28 others items was praise worthy.
In order to promote the local manufacturing sector, he said it was necessary that local manufacturers may be provided raw material.
He also welcomed a proposal of reduction of duties on Acetic Acid, Plaster of Paris, Carbon Black rubber grade and silicon electrical steel sheets in the budget that would help facilitate the local
manufacturers.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail on Friday proposed to build 100 sport stadiums all over the country on cost-sharing basis with the provincial governments.
“We are enhancing PSDP (Public Sector Development Programme) allocations for Higher Education Commission to Rs 57 billion, for primary health programmes to Rs 37 billion and for programmes for youth by Rs 10 billion,” the minister said in his budget speech in the National Assembly.
He said the Federal Government was also providing income support to more than 5 million families, and has also allocated funds for Pakistan Bait Al Mal, and Poverty Alleviation Fund.