In a significant move, the Punjab Caretaker Cabinet has given the green light to an unusual four-month budget totaling Rs2,076.2 billion (Rs2.076 trillion), covering the period from November to February 2024. Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi presided over the meeting, where this unorthodox budget was approved, encompassing a development expenditure of Rs351 billion.
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During the session, an allocation of Rs50 billion was earmarked to provide relief to the province’s populace. Furthermore, substantial portions of the budget, amounting to Rs208 billion for health, Rs222 billion for education, and Rs10 billion for agriculture, were directed to these essential sectors.
In addition to this, the cabinet allocated Rs1.8 billion for the National Health Support Programme and Rs5 billion for Punjab textbooks. Climate change challenges were not overlooked, as an allocation of Rs7.3 billion was set aside for necessary initiatives in this regard.
The cabinet also emphasized the implementation of a minimum wage of Rs32,000 for workers, effective from July 1, 2023.
PTI Cries Foul Over Unconstitutional Budget
Notably, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) raised legal objections to the caretaker Punjab government’s decision to approve a substantial budget of over Rs2 trillion for the next four months, especially in the midst of the country’s election season. Muzamil Aslam, PTI’s focal person for Economic Affairs, pointed out that the caretaker government’s constitutional mandate allows them to present a budget for only four months. He argued that the initial four-month budget presented by the Punjab caretaker government was set to expire on October 31, questioning the legality of another four-month budget presentation.
Aslam further emphasized that presenting a budget worth billions of rupees without an electoral mandate raises concerns, as the caretaker government’s primary role is to manage ongoing projects, not initiate new ones. The ongoing legal and constitutional debate surrounding this budget approval has added an intriguing dimension to the situation.
