PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa finance department has prepared a citizens-oriented budget document called the ‘Citizens’ Budget’ in order to inform general public about budget making process and its implications for them.

Introduced from the financial year 2014-15, the document is part of provincial government’s commitment to improve citizen’s access to budgetary information and promote accountability and transparency in managing public finances as intended by the promulgation of KP Right to Information Act, 2013, and KP Right to Services Act, 2013.

It is meant to enable people to effectively exercise their right to public scrutiny of state representatives, have access to information, and to ensure provision of quality services to them.

From an ordinary citizen on the street to a corporate head, each one can now have the details of the budget and knowledge of the government priority areas in the form of a small handy and easily readable booklet.

Presenting the provincial budget in simple language, the Citizens’ Budget document also makes it easy for common citizens to understand how it impacts their lives.

The booklet reflects all the sectors with their budget and outputs, also reflecting the impact and importance of the budget for the various sections of the society.

The document not only has put figures into understandable language but also sheds light on government’s focused areas for each sector.

The broader contents of the booklet are sections on economic assumptions underlying the budget, the budget process, revenue collection, priorities in allocations and spending, target programmes and sector-specific information and contact information for the citizens.

The Citizens’ Budget will help government engage citizens in the budget processes to bring transparency in spending of public money.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2016