Upcoming KP budget likely to be above Rs4 trillion

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget for fiscal year 2014-15 is likely to be above Rs4 trillion as budget recommendations with Rs139 billion for Annual Development Programs (ADPs) and Rs 261 billion for ongoing schemes have been allocated. The budget recommendations are likely to be presented to the provincial cabinet for approval on June 14 before its presentation in the assembly on the same day. Official sources said that as the ADP has been raised by 18 per cent, the government was planning to levy over a dozen new taxes besides agriculture tax along with General Sales Tax (GST) on services. Government employees are likely to get 10 to 15 per cent pay raise while the Annual Development Programme will have 1251 schemes, including 711 current and 540 new schemes. The recommendations also include an allocation of Rs1587 million for agriculture, Rs8132 million for primary and secondary education, Rs3046 million for energy and power, Rs57 million for environment, Rs4094 million for finance, Rs149 million for Aquaf, Rs1271million for buildings, Rs1672 million for district ADPs, Rs501 million for food, Rs1015 million for forests, Rs8280 million for health, Rs6180 million for higher education, Rs956 million for housing, Rs3471 million for industries, Rs224 million for information, Rs26 million for labour, Rs105 million for law, Rs626 million for mineral development, Rs330 million for population, Rs7900 million for the poor, Rs12258 million for local development, Rs2053 for relief activities, Rs 1001 million for research,Rs9590 million for local infrastructure, Rs500 million for social welfare, Rs1325 million for sport and tourism, Rs1000 million for Science and Technology, Rs200 million for Transport, Rs7467 million for urban development and Rs4737 million for water. Responding to a query on the upcoming budget at the KP Chamber of Commerce, Finance Minister Sirajul Haq said that the KPK government was likely to levy some additional taxes as money generated from taxes would be used for public welfare. He said education and health would be the government’s top priority in the next budget instead of building new hospitals, schools and buildings. Haq said that the federal government was giving only one per cent for counter terrorism efforts to KPK which should be enhanced to five per cent in view of the prevailing situation in the province.