Orange line is white elephant which eats 9 Billion annually: Hashim Jawan.

LAHORE -- Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakhat Tuesday said that country was passing through a critical period following the covid-19 pandemic and the provincial government given the best budget in the current scenario by focusing towards the areas hit by the corona virus and protecting the economy and vulnerable groups.

The Punjab government did not compromise on the development portfolio despite witnessing reduction in the revenue while Public Private Partnership Authority was established for implementation of the PPP projects. The southern loop of the Lahore Ring Road will be completed under PPP project with Rs 10 billion amount in the fiscal year 2020-21 while the PPP projects were given a five year tax holidays as well.

Addressing the Post Budget Press Conference here at 90 Shahrah-e-Quaid-Azam along with Chairman Planning and Development Hamid Yaqoob Sheih, and Secretary Finance Abdullah Sumbal, he said the government given Rs 56 billion tax relief package in the budget, besides given priority to construction sector to boost 16 attached industries with it.

The minister announced that a new project Paradigm was introduced in the budget with the name Grow Punjab and Rs 106 billion package allocated to cope up with covid-19 under this head. The project will helpful in improving the health sector, besides controlling of the covid-19. The government will review the expenditure on monthly basis due to covid-19 pandemic while all the...