ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Information, Firdous Ashiq Awan, said Sunday the upcoming budget would be “people-friendly”.
The first priority of the government is the people of Pakistan, Awan added.
The special assistant further commented that the forthcoming budget — for the fiscal year 2019-20 — would smooth the way for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long-term plan.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, she noted, would himself inform the people of the government’s priorities as well.
Budget to be presented on June 11
Earlier, on May 28, Awan had addressed a press conference in the federal capital and announced that the budget was set to be presented on June 11.
She had said the forthcoming budget would focus on improving the country’s economy as well as foreign debt. Further, one of the matters deliberated upon was that the common man not be impacted by the budget.
The special assistant also noted that initial documents pertaining to the budget were pondered upon.
Rs3.28 trillion proposed for provinces
Prior to that, it was reported that the federal budget proposed Rs3.28 trillion for the provinces, indicating an excess worth Rs0.7 trillion as opposed to the corresponding period.
The budget documents had revealed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Sindh provinces would be provided Rs0.475 trillion and Rs0.805 trillion, respectively, in next fiscal year.
The KP government has sought Rs0.206 trillion from the centre to meet expenditures of the merged tribal districts in 2019-20, and that includes the execution of development program, salaries, as well as other privileges.
