Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah presents Rs1241bn budget for FY 2020-21

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday presented the budget for the Fiscal year 2020-21 in the Sindh Assembly, ARY News reported.

CM Murad Ali Shah in his budget speech said that the total outlay of the provincial budget for Financial Year 2020-21 stands at Rs1.24 trillion.

Covid-19 pandemic

He said that Sindh govt followed the universally adopted approach to address the threat posed by COVID-19, adding that Sindh was the first province who took steps for enforcing and implementing a lockdown.

“Steps were taken as soon as the first case surfaced on 26th February 2020, and schools were immediately closed to protect our children. We moved towards closing down all places where people could gather and a lockdown was imposed on 23rd March 2020.” he said.

Agriculture

CM Sindh said that the agriculture budget has been increased by 40% to Rs.14.84 billion, due to agriculture support for small farmers.

Rs1 billion has been allocated to small farmers as a concession for quality rice seeds.
Rs.20.0 billion has been proposed for cash transfers to individuals affected by COVID-19 under Sindh Peoples Support Program.
Rs.5.0 billion has been allocated for a Soft Loan Program for Small & Medium Enterprises.
Rs 1.0 billion will be provided on account of Fertilizer subsidy to the farmers with landholding of 25 acres or less.
Rs.500.0 million is proposed for Livestock breeding

Health sector

Murad Ali Shah said the budget of the Health Department has been divided into two major segments i.e. Health Services and Medical Education.

The budget estimates for Health Department for the financial year 2019-20 was Rs.120.486 billion which has been increased to Rs.139.178 billion for the next financial year 2020-21, he said.

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Murad Ali Shah said that Rs.7.0 billion has been allocated in the next financial year 2020-21 for 9 vertical Programs to combat/control Polio, TB, Aids, Lady Health Worker Program and Hepatitis control.

He said the Sindh govt has allocated Rs.1.00 billion for 200 Bedded Infectious Disease Control Hospital at NIPA, Karachi.

Rs.1.00 billion has been allocated to combat Pandemic in next FY 2020-21.
Rs.1.00 billion has been allocated for up-gradation and operationalization of newly completed 22 Health facilities.
Rs.5.15 billion has been allocated for NICVD, Karachi.
Rs.5.14 billion have been allocated to NICVD( Lyari Karachi, Larkana, Sehwan, Hyderabad, Sukkur, T.M.Khan, Shaheed Benaziabad, Khirpur, Mithi and Karachi ) in next FY 2020-21.
Rs.5.60 billion has been allocated to SIUT.
Rs.160.00 million has been allocated for treatment of Thalassemia.
Rs.150.00 million have been allocated for Dialysis in various health facilities
Rs.250.00 million has been allocated for establishment of hospital at Islamkot
Establishment of 200 bedded Infectious Diseases Control Hospital Mirpurkhas with Rs.1.3 billion.

Education

Speaking about the education budget, Murad Ali Shah said that the budget of the education sector for the next financial year 2020-21 has been increased to Rs.244.5 billion, compared with Rs.212.4 billion for the financial year 2019-20.

Rs.150.00 million have been allocated for NED university campus Thar Institute of Engineering, Science & Technology.
Rs.13.15 billion for School Education, Rs.3.72 billion kept for College Education,
Establishment of English Medium Schools in Sindh (25 Units) with Rs.800 million.
Rs.3.36 billion for Universities and Boards.

Work, Services and Transport

CM Murad said that Sindh govt aims to develop safe, swift and reliable transportation infrastructure in the province and to boost this sector, the govt has allocated Rs.6.4 billion against 17 major schemes.

He said that BRTS Greenline, financed by federal government, is expected to be complete by December 2020.

Rs.3.90 billion have been allocated for maintenance and repair of Roads, Highway and Bridges.
Rs.200.00 million is allocated for Sindh Mass Transit Authority.
Rs.200.00 million has been allocated for Sindh Mass Transit Authority in next FY 2020-21.
Rs 3 billion fixed for construction of underpasses/flyovers on Railway crossing along Karachi Circular Railway route.
Rs178 has been allocated for Yellow Line BRTS.
Construction of BRT Red Line Karachi ADB Assisted with Rs.1 billion and Rs.1.98 billion from foreign project assistance.

The Sindh Chief Minister also announced a 5-10 percent increase in the salaries of govt employees.

Budget in brief