KARACHI: The Governing Body (GB) of the Sindh Workers’ Welfare Board (WWB) has approved a Rs65 billion surplus budget for the financial year 2026-27, aimed at expanding welfare initiatives and educational opportunities for workers and their families in Sindh.
According to the approved budget, the total revenue for FY27 has been estimated at Rs85.374bn against the projected expenditure of Rs21.102bn, resulting in a surplus of approximately Rs65bn.
The estimated income includes Rs15bn from the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB), Rs35bn in outstanding Workers’ Profit Participation Fund (WPPF) dues, Rs25bn expected to be recovered through proceedings pending before the Sindh High Court and Rs10.374bn from the Board’s internal resources.
On the expenditure side, Rs17.5bn has been earmarked for workers’ welfare programmes, Rs10.094bn for development projects and Rs7.011bn for education.
Briefing the meeting, WWB Secretary Saeed Saleh Jamani said the budget allocates Rs800 million for workers’ death grants, Rs400m for marriage grants for employees’ daughters, Rs150m for merit scholarships, and Rs2bn for an endowment fund to support higher education for workers’ children. He added that, unlike previous years, no budget has been allocated this year for the distribution of e-bikes or sewing machines.
Speaking on the occasion, Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, who chaired the meeting, said the government’s foremost priority remained the welfare and well-being of workers.
He noted that although the board’s expenditure had been reduced by nearly half compared with the previous financial year, there had been no reduction in any welfare-related allocations.
The minister also disclosed that funds had initially been allocated for the purchase of two new vehicles for the Board, but he had directed that the purchase should not proceed.
Highlighting a major financial achievement, Mr Ghani said that for years the Federal Board of Revenue had at-source deducted income tax from both the Workers’ Welfare Board and the Sindh Employees’ Social Security Institution (SESSI).
Following representations made to the Sindh chief minister and subsequent efforts by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and MNA Naveed Qamar in meetings with the prime minister and the finance minister, both institutions were granted income tax exemption, benefiting not only Sindh but similar organisations across all provinces, he said.
Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2026