Murad to present Sindh budget for 2020-21 on 17th.

Byline: Tahir Siddiqui

KARACHI -- Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday announced that he would present the annual budget for the next financial year on June 17.

He was speaking at the parliamentary party meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party held here at CM House.

The meeting was attended by all provincial ministers, majority of party MPAs, former provincial minister Manzoor Wassan and Law Adviser Mustaza Wahab.

The CM said that before presenting the budget 2020-21 in the assembly, he would chair a meeting of the cabinet to approve the budget.

He said that the coronavirus had not only affected the people but it had badly affected the budget estimates for the next year.

Says 15 more Covid-19 patients died, taking the death toll to 831 in the province

'Despite critical conditions, I will try my best to provide relief to the poor people of the province through budgetary measures,' he said.

He said that in the next budget priorities would be given to the health sector under which new facilities would be established.

'We have to contain the virus which is spreading throughout the province,' he said.

He said that coronavirus was claiming more lives every day and number of cases being reported daily had crossed 2000 cases. 'This is a serious situation, therefore, our people have to adopt precautionary measures and we have to further strengthen our health system,' he added.

Mr Shah said water and sanitation sector, poverty reduction, development of social sector and revival of provincial economy would be given top priorities in the upcoming budget.

However, he said, instead of launching new schemes focus would be on completion of ongoing schemes.

Mr Shah said that after coronavirus, locust swarm attack was a standing threat to the agro-economy of the province. 'This threat may cause food security issues in the province,' he said.

The chief minister said that due to coronavirus necessary measures for ensuring social distancing in the assembly would be taken.

'We, in consultation with opposition members in the assembly, are trying to develop SOPs for the budget session,' he said.

2,287 new coronavirus cases

Earlier, the CM said that as many as 2,287 new cases of coronavirus had been detected when 11,197 tests were conducted while 15 more patients died overnight, taking the death toll to 831.

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