PESHAWAR: Setting a high bar for other provinces, Khyber Pakhtun­khwa has raised the minimum wage to Rs26,000 per month from Rs21,000.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan announced the increase on Friday in a speech at the provincial assembly, which met to approve the next fiscal year’s budget. He stressed that the increased wage limit should be implemented immediately.

Other provinces currently have a minimum wage of Rs25,000. Similarly, the federal government has also fixed it at Rs25,000.

The minimum wage is applicable to every citizen, regardless of employer, location or nature of work.

The chief minister said the provincial government had allocated Rs200 billion in the new budget to be invested directly in the masses in the form of Sehat and Insaf food cards and other safety nets.

He said a food programme was also being launched from July 1 that would include a Rs322bn wheat subsidy.

Besides, an education card was also in the works, under which free education would be provided to children aged five to 16 years and the board exam fee would be waived off.

CM Khan said Rs37bn had been set aside for district governments and 63,000 employees would be regularised.

Moreover, a 300-megawatt hydroelectric power project would be launched in Balakot at the cost of Rs85bn.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2022