Sindh cabinet approves Rs2,244b budget for FY 2023-24

Karachi: The Sindh cabinet on Saturday approved Rs2244 billion budget for the fiscal year 2023-24.

Chairing the budget meeting, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that this was the last pre-budget cabinet meeting of the five-year term of the current provincial government. He said that the remaining cabinet meetings will continue to take place as per schedule.

Shah said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s victory in Sindh local elections was an indication that the party will sweep the upcoming general election in Sindh and across the country.

The provincial cabinet approved up to 35 per cent increase in salaries of government employee. The employees in Grade-1 to Grade-16 will have an increase of 35 per cent in their salaries while Grade-17 and above employees will get a raise of 30 per cent.

The Sindh chief minister said that the minimum wage has been increased to Rs35,000.

As per budget documents, Rs410 billion have been allocated for the provincial annual development programme; over Rs88 billion for 1,937 new development schemes and around Rs291 billion have been proposed for 3,311 ongoing development projects.

Overall, as per the budgetary document, Rs380 billion have been earmarked for new 5,248 schemes including Rs34.7 billion for education and Rs19.7 billion for health.

The documents said that over Rs7 billion have been earmarked for the agriculture sector and around Rs1.5 billion have been allocated for the People’s Bus Service, under which, 20 new hybrid diesel buses will be purchased.