Budgetary Relief Measures In Hard Times Draw Positive Feedback From Experts, General Public.

ISLAMABAD -- The announcement of several relief measures by the coalition government in the 2022-23 budget, despite severe financial constraints and external challenges, has drawn a positive feedback from experts and the masses alike.

Almost all major segments of the society have got their fair share of benefits in the new budget, including slashing of duties on solar panels (17pc to zero) to help the people generate their own power, withdrawing sales tax on tractors (5pc to zero) and seeds (17pc to zero) to boost agriculture, and expanding the reach of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to Rs364 billion. All these measure have come at a time when, according to a recent World Bank report, the global economy is heading towards a recession, with prices of fuel and food hitting an all time high, amidst the war in Ukraine, supply chain disruptions and recent COVID-related issues.

The government, despite the odds, introduced a number of budgetary measures aimed at correcting economy in tandem with providing relief to all segments of the society, including industrialists, businessmen, farmers and most importantly the downtrodden. Targeted subsidies have been announced to protect them with the increase in BISP's allocation from Rs250 billion to Rs364 billion this year that will benefit nine (9) million families. Despite several financial constraints and the fact that higher education is a devolved subject, the government allocated Rs65 billion for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in the current budget to promote higher education, which is currently 9 percent in the country.

To boost agriculture production, the govt proposed to withdraw sales tax on the supply of tractors, agricultural implements, and various seeds, including wheat, maize, sunflowers, canola, and rice. The initiative was widely welcomed by the farming community. Custom duty on import of agriculture machinery related to irrigation, drainage, harvesting, post-harvesting handling and processing, besides plant protection equipment, machinery and other capital goods, has also been withdrawn. Chairman of the Pakistan Hi-Tech Hybrid Seed Association Shahzad Ali Malik, while hailing the govt decisions, said the initiatives would help boost agriculture production to ensure food security.

He lauded the decision to withdraw 17 percent Sales Tax in the budget on all kinds of seeds.

Considering agriculture...

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