ISLAMABAD, June 3: The government is finalizing a set of relief measures to increase salaries of its employees and the pension, and extend new incentives to farm sector in the budget for 2004-05.

"We are considering benefits for government employees and pensioners, and this will be a part of relief measures now being finalized," Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz told Dawn.

But he declined to say how much relief they would get. Budget planners, he pointed out, were looking into these issues to be firmed up soon and announced on June 12. Shaukat Aziz said that those who were in less income bracket would have some adequate relief as the government could not ignore them.

Informed sources maintained that the government was contemplating a proposal to offer 20 to 25 per cent increase in the salaries of the government employees.

The minister said agriculture sector would be offered incentives with a view to help increase the overall farm productivity. He said it was the policy of the government to extend soft loans to farmers.