BUDGET 2022-23: Record Rs418bn development plan in Rs1.33tr KP budget.

PESHAWAR -- The PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday set aside a record amount of Rs418 billion for development projects in the Rs1.33 trillion budget for the financial year 2022-23 to accelerate economic recovery, generate employment opportunities, uplift human development index and prioritise service delivery with an eye on the next general election.

The total budget outlay of Rs1.33tr is 19 per cent higher than the current year's Rs1.18tr.

KP Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra devoted initial part of his budget presentation, which spanned at least 16 slides, on praising ousted prime minister Imran Khan and his performance in office.

The cover of budget documents, printed in PTI flag colours and named 'Khuddar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa' with a rendering of a fist breaking the chains, also reflected the party's current mood.

Mr Jhagra announced 16pc pay and 15pc pension raise for government employees. He also announced the plan to bring police personnel in BS-6 to 16 on a par with the disparity reduction allowance and increase the amount of Police Shuahda Package.

Describing them as new reforms, Mr Jhagra announced transport monetisation and vehicle leasing policy, change of executive allowance to performance allowance, work-from-home on Fridays and introduction of fleet cards to save fuel and reduce risk of pilferage across all departments.

He announced regularisation of 63,000 government employees, including 675 doctors, 58,000 school teachers and 4,079 project staff of erstwhile Fata.

Mr Jhagra said the government would introduce an optional top-up package of PTI's flagship Sehat Card Plus Scheme for the government employees. Besides, he said, the government under the Insaf Card Food Subsidy Scheme would spend Rs26bn on providing relief to about one million families across the province.

The finance minister said treatment of bone marrow transplant, multiple sclerosis, cochlear implants, thalassemia and advance cancer would be covered under the Sehat Card Plus Scheme in a phased manner at a cost of Rs2.5bn.

He announced the setting up of four new medical teaching institutions and four medical colleges during the next fiscal year.

Budgetary estimates pitch the province's total revenue receipts at Rs1.332tr, including Rs670.5bn federal transfers, Rs68.6bn (1pc of federal divisible pool for war on terror) and Rs31bn straight transfers in lieu of royalty on gas and crude oil.

The KP government would also receive Rs61.5bn in lieu of...

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