There was a time when the announcement of the budget would spark interest among the public. People were eager to know what planning the government had made for their welfare. They wanted to understand how it would affect their daily lives, and what facilities they would receive in areas such as health, education, and others. They looked forward to how the coming days would improve. Perhaps, once, such expectations existed\u2014but now, the budget presentation feels more like a formality than a meaningful event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Sindh government, too, has performed this formality by presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2025\u20132026 in the Sindh Assembly, amounting to Rs. 3,451 billion, which is 12.9% higher than last year. The budget announcement includes a 12% salary increase for employees from grade 1 to 16, and a 10% increase for those in grades 17 to 22. Pensions for government employees will also see an 8% raise. Additional funds have been allocated for public welfare schemes, and Rs. 2,149.4 billion have been earmarked for recurring expenditures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A total of Rs. 523.73 billion has been allocated for education. The budget for primary education has been increased from Rs. 136.2 billion to Rs. 156.2 billion, and for secondary education from Rs. 68.5 billion to Rs. 77.2 billion. The Chief Minister also announced the recruitment of 4,400 new teachers and staff in the new fiscal year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The health sector has been allocated Rs. 326.5 billion, of which Rs. 146.9 billion will be given to health institutions and units in the form of grants. The Annual Development Program (ADP) has been limited to Rs. 520 billion. 475 new schemes will be launched in flood-affected areas, underdeveloped districts, renewable energy, clean drinking water, and sanitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Significant planning has also been made for improving infrastructure and public transport in Karachi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over 200,000 farmers will be issued \u201cBenazir Hari Cards\u201d to provide subsidies and modern agricultural machinery. Stipends for people with disabilities will be increased, and new rehabilitation centers will be established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To ease the financial burden on the public, the Chief Minister announced the elimination of five taxes. Professional tax and entertainment duty will be abolished, motor vehicle tax will be reduced, and a new “Negative List System” will be implemented to simplify sales tax. Special grants have also been allocated for the welfare and development of lawyers, journalists, and minorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Murad Ali Shah said that despite financial difficulties, employee salaries have been increased. This constitutes non-development expenditure. The second largest budget share is for education, which has been increased by 18% this year, followed by health, which saw an 11% increase. However, there has been a 20% reduction in the Annual Development Program (PSDP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rs. 132 billion have been allocated for local governments and Rs. 36.3 billion for energy projects. Tax reductions have been proposed for commercial vehicles, property, incentives, and inheritance fees. A Sindh Cooperative Bank will be established to provide interest-free loans to farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Chief Minister said special attention has been given to Karachi’s development in the new budget. Urban transport in Karachi will be expanded, and Pakistan\u2019s first 50 electric buses will be introduced. The Karachi Safe City Project will be expanded to include AI-equipped CCTV cameras and extended surveillance coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also mentioned that a Rs. 1,000 billion development budget was supposed to be prepared. These numbers could have been higher if the federal government had provided the full share. Last year too, the federal government consistently failed to transfer revenue as promised. The total provincial development budget is Rs. 1,018 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One interpretation of the budget is that it should collect more tax from the higher-income segments and use that to provide relief to the lower-income segments, thereby creating balance and harmony in society. This helps keep the country and society functioning. But in our case, the opposite happens. There\u2019s a greater effort to squeeze more money out of those who already pay taxes, while wealthy and high-income individuals are given unjustified concessions and pushed even further ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The budget also reflects the province\u2019s revenue-generating capacity\u2014how much it earns and how that income is spent. It includes an accounting of past expenditures and details how future expenditures will be managed, including both mandatory and developmental spending. The budget\u2019s purpose is to measure the gap between income and expenses. If expenses exceed income, the government attempts to cover that gap by imposing more taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The recently presented Sindh budget did not announce any increase in the minimum monthly wage, which means it likely remains at the old level of Rs. 37,000 per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No budget can explain how a small family of two or three children and a couple can manage to live on Rs. 37,000 a month. This is, in effect, a deception with the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What do the people of Sindh really want? Peace and security, employment, relief from inflation, infrastructure in rural areas, irrigation water for agriculture, reasonably priced fertilizers, seeds and agro-chemicals, and access to education and healthcare. This budget might have included small increases in these areas, but the actual facilities are still not reaching the people. Until these services are genuinely delivered to the people, the budget cannot be considered effective or beneficial for the common man\u2014and currently, no real relief is visible for the average person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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