Fida Hussnain Lahore
The Punjab government on Wednesday approved 41 grants totalling approximately Rs3.80 trillion, dismissing all cut motions proposed by the Opposition.
The Opposition had recorded its protest and questioned the government policies and the performance of various institutions. They suggested a reduction in the budget.
The grants were presented following a four-day general discussion on the 2024-25 annual budget, concluded by Provincial Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman.
He dismissed the Opposition’s proposals as immature and aimed solely at point-scoring. The Opposition’s cut motions targeted sectors such as provincial excise, irrigation, agriculture, education, and police, criticizing what they called flawed government policies. Despite their efforts, these motions were overwhelmingly rejected by a majority vote, maintaining the proposed allocations for these sectors. The grant for education, amounting to Rs1.19 trillion, was passed despite strong opposition.
The critics highlighted the disparity between education standards for affluent families and those for the poor. They called for significant improvements in government schools to provide quality education to underprivileged children.
