The caretaker cabinet in Punjab has granted approval for a budget of Rs2,073 billion to cover the province’s expenditures over the next five months. Punjab has been under an interim government since the dissolution of the provincial assembly on January 14 of this year.
The meeting was chaired by the Caretaker Chief Minister, Mohsin, and the cabinet members examined the details of both non-development and development expenditures, along with sectoral fund allocations.
The decision to present a four-month budget was prompted by uncertainty surrounding the date of the upcoming elections. Article 126 of the Constitution stipulates that the caretaker government may only authorize expenditures for a period not exceeding four months. Therefore, an initial budget of Rs1,719.3 billion was presented in June for the first four months of the fiscal year 2023-24.
According to the budget, Punjab is expected to receive Rs881 billion in tax receipts from the federal government, along with its own contribution of Rs194 billion. The budget did not impose any new taxes, and development expenditure was allocated at Rs325 billion.
In a press conference held later in the day, Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir shared further budget details. He revealed that Rs351 billion had been allocated for ongoing development projects, leaving non-development expenditure at Rs1,722 out of the total budget of Rs2,073 billion.
The minister also mentioned the commencement of a crackdown against foreigners staying illegally in the province, a move directed by the federal government. An allocation of Rs400 million has been reserved for this purpose, and the individuals identified will be temporarily housed in camps for eventual deportation.
Concerning the upcoming general elections, Minister Mir stated that 50,000 polling stations were being set up across the province. The caretaker government pledged full assistance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure free and fair elections. Mir assured that the elections would be held on time, and the caretaker administration would provide additional security for foreign observers monitoring the electoral process.
In a related matter, the ECP had recently invited foreign observers and media personnel interested in covering the upcoming general elections in Pakistan, while also outlining certain conditions, including security clearance.
The press conference also addressed the issue of smog, a recurring environmental and health concern in the region. While an additional weekly holiday on Wednesdays was considered and later discarded due to anticipated complications, discussions are ongoing regarding the possibility of declaring Mondays a holiday, resulting in an extended weekend. This proposal aims to combat high pollution levels during the first three days of the week when more people engage in daily activities after the weekend, contributing to increased vehicular traffic and smog.
