LAHORE: Calling it an “inclusive budget”, Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht says 11 areas like education, health, employment etc. have been given priority.

The Punjab Assembly budget session started two hours behind the schedule and saw usual rumpus for most part of the proceedings. The house met at 4pm and the minister started his speech in next 10 minutes, and saw opposition up in arms – led by leader of opposition Hamza Shahbaz.

The session is being held at a private hotel, checks at the entry points were much relaxed as compared to the Assembly Hall, allowing the members to bring in placards depicting protest slogans and demands.

As soon as the minister took the rostrum, some three dozen opposition members gathered in front of the chair, occupied by Speaker Pervaiz Elahi, and started their protest, which lasted for the next 35 minutes. The opposition wanted to know where sugar barons have gone; and where promises of five million homes and 10m jobs have gone. Out of the 40-minute budget speech, the opposition kept its protest for 35 minutes before it walked out and allowed the treasury to complete the process in next five minutes and adjourn the House to meet on Thursday [2pm].

The minister was of the view that apart from being inclusive, the budget follows PTI vision “agay bharo” (move forward) Punjab.” This vision provides guidelines to deal with coronavirus and still progress. The strategic document written under the same vision sets the priorities, which include tax relief package, economic stability and progress, social protection of deserving segments of the society, human development, agriculture and food security, saving in running expenditure and the PPP (Public Private Partnership).

“Under this vision, the Punjab government has announced unprecedented Rs56 billion tax relief for the next year. The government has almost frozen its expenditures – from Rs1.3 trillion last year to Rs1.31tr. The salary bill will stay at Rs337bn and Rs19bn are being saved by reforming the pension system in the province. The South Poverty Alleviation Programme [in 10 districts] would get Rs2bn and Women Income Generation and Self-Reliance (WINGS) in nine districts would get Rs1.15bn,” he said.

The minister was almost 35 minutes into his speech when the opposition decided to walkout and let the proceedings progress smoothly. Within next five minutes, he wound up his speech and the chair adjourned the House.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2020