Karachi: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. Also holding portfolio of finance chief presented Sindh budget for financial year 2024-25 in Assembly.Sindh Cabinet had earlier accorded approval of Rs 3-trillion plus budget for FY2024-25.

“It is balanced budget as our expenditures will be equal to our income,” Murad said in budget speech.Total outlay of provincial budget is Rs 3.056 trillion. Current revenue expenditure for next financial year has been proposed at Rs 1.912 trillion, which is 33.5 percent higher than budget estimates of FY2023-24.“Increase is mainly due to inflationary impact on operating expenses, enhancement in grants provided to non-financial institutions including hospitals, public sector universities and local councils, and raise and salaries and pensions,” he said. “Biggest contribution of Sindh government with this budget will be in education sector,” he added. On revenue side, budget for education has been proposed at Rs 454 billion for FY25, against Rs 334 billion of FY24.

Provision of funds for Sindh Higher Education Commission is Rs 34.5 billion against last year’s budget of Rs 23 billion. For universities, provincial government has allocated Rs 34 billion.Free textbooks will be provided to all students of pre-primary to matric in all government as well as its partner schools in province. For this, government has proposed budget of Rs 7.5 billion against Rs 2.5 billion last year. An amount of Rs 12 billion has been allocated for purchase of furniture and fixtures in three phases out of which Rs 4 billion has been earmarked for FY25.Additionally, Rs 1.65 billion has been allocated for operationalisation of non-formal education centers. For improved service delivery in health sector, budget of Rs 300 billion has been proposed for FY25, 32 percent higher than Rs 227 billion last year.For security and policing, provincial government has proposed budget of Rs 172 billion. An amount of Rs 160 billion has been proposed for local councils in province. Total Rs 65 billion has been earmarked for irrigation and agriculture sectors. (Rs35 billion for irrigation, Rs30 billion for agriculture).Sindh government allocated Rs 7.62 billion for transport and communication, while Rs 12.26 billion for social protection. For Grade 1 to 6 government employees, government has proposed 30 percent increase in salaries. “Moreover, Sindh government will pay personal pay to those employees of Grade 1 to 6 whose salaries do not reach minimum wage of Rs 37,000 even after proposed increment,” Murad said. For Grade 7 to 16, an increase of 25 percent has been proposed. For Grade 17 and above, proposal of 22 percent increase has been tabled.

Government has earmarked 15 percent increase in pensions of retired government employees. Minimum wage in province has been pitched at Rs 37,000 per month. An amount of Rs 184.8 billion has been proposed for province’s current capital expenditure in FY25 against Rs 136.256 billion last year.