In order to match the raise in salaries announced by the federal government, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has started considering another increase in the salaries of the provincial government employees.
In this regard, the process of consultations with the Finance Department has been set into motion. The KP government will get approval of raise in salaries from the cabinet after completion of the consultation process.
Earlier, the government had increased the salaries by 10 percent in the provincial budget, announced much before the unveiling of the federal budget. According to sources, the Finance Department was consulted for a 20 to 25 percent increase in the salaries of the government employees. The sources further said that 10 percent increase in salaries had burdened the treasury by Rs35 billion, while a further increase will put additional Rs76 billion burden to the provincial exchequer. It is worth mentioned here that PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government unveiled its first budget of Rs1.7 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year (FY25) with a development outlay of Rs416 billion mainly focusing on social protection, law and order and economic development in May.
It is extremely rare for a provincial government to present its budget before the federal government lays out its financial plan, scheduled to be unveiled on June 7 this year.
The budget, presented by KP Finance Minister Aftab Alam Afridi in a provincial assembly session presided over by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, envisages a surplus of Rs100bn. The budgeted expenditure of Rs1.65tr is 21 per cent higher than Rs1.3tr incurred during the current fiscal year (FY24).
Mr Afridi said an amount of Rs28bn has been allocated for the provincial government’s flagship Sehat Card Plus programme. Similarly, he said Rs29bn has been allocated for wheat subsidy and Rs12bn for three youth employment programmes.
Mr Afridi said Ehsaas Rozgar, Ehsaas Youth and Ehsaas Hunar programmes will generate 100,000 employment opportunities for the youth.
The budget, presented by KP Finance Minister Aftab Alam Afridi in a provincial assembly session presided over by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, envisages a surplus of Rs100bn. The budgeted expenditure of Rs1.65tr is 21 per cent higher than Rs1.3tr incurred during the current fiscal year (FY24).
Mr Afridi said an amount of Rs28bn has been allocated for the provincial government’s flagship Sehat Card Plus programme. Similarly, he said Rs29bn has been allocated for wheat subsidy and Rs12bn for three youth employment programmes.
Mr Afridi said Ehsaas Rozgar, Ehsaas Youth and Ehsaas Hunar programmes will generate 100,000 employment opportunities for the youth.
