LAHORE - Treasury members continued praising Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for giving a welfare-oriented and balanced budget to the people of Punjab for the fiscal year 2015-16 during budget debate in Punjab Assembly on Thursday.
Treasury members in their speech greeted the finance minister for preparing poor-friendly budget. On the contrary, the Opposition members found noting in the budget which catered to the needs of 80 per cent poor population living in rural areas.
Though treasury members did not appreciate the Opposition yet many in their speech subscribed to the points they raised about South Punjab which they said is facing acute problem of drinking water, electricity, and sewerage in addition to improper education and health facilities. They commonly raised the issue of government failure in purchasing cotton, wheat and rice at the fixed rate following which the helpless farmers were obliged to sell the commodity to middle man at lesser price.
The post budget session of the Assembly started 50 minutes beyond the fixed time with Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan in the chair. Treasury legislator Sheikh Allauddin suggested for reviewing system of taxes and also putting a check on the charge of heavy fees by the private schools and private hospitals.
He said seven million people were suffering from the hepatitis but the US made medicine worth Rs2000 to cure the disease is not being allowed to reach the market. Doctors are earning in lakhs daily but they are out of tax net. He also highlighted corruption in technical and financial bids and said a mobile hospital is available in Rs55lakh but Rs 60million mobile units are being purchased.
He said as long spending of public money is controlled, Punjab cannot thrive no matter its soil begins to produce oil. He said not one but a number of Ayyan Alis were carrying money out of the country to launder the same through Afghanistan and other parts.
Treasury MPA Asghar Ali Munda suggested for providing subsidy to the farmers in the purchase of solar tube well. Mian Marghoob Ahmad of Treasury suggested for putting ban on the doctors strike as it was causing severe difficulties to the patients; many from far flung areas of the province. He also suggested for broadening the tax net.
Treasury member from Daska Muhammad Asif Bajwa grieved that favourtism has been practiced in the prequalification of companies for purchasing agricultural implements. He also demanded two girls’ colleges in his constituency and also for setting a standard for fixing number of development schemes in every constituency.
Nighat Sheikh of the Treasury proposed that the women should be provided scooties as it has been done in Malaysia and Bangladesh to cater to their transport needs. She also proposed for setting up stitching centres for ladies to use their skills in the garments manufacturing.
Opposition member Ahsan Riaz Fatyana said that lesser allocation had been made for LG bodies in the proposed budget than the last year of Rs299billlion. The government is also bypassing the problems of South and many other areas while no substantial relief has been given to the farmers in this current budget, he added. Fatyana also locked horns with the chair on being denied extra time to speak. He recorded his protest but was not allowed to speak further.
Khadija Umar of Opposition rejecting the budget said the government failed to meet the promises on ending electricity crisis, price hike and unrest in the province. Instead the government has stopped the projects which PML-Q government had initiated. She also grieved over zero allocation for Rescue 1122 in the budget.
Dr Murad Raas of the Opposition took a critical view of the proposed budget and said his constituency Lahore, needs space for graveyard and step to arrest the growing shortage of clean water. Dr Nausheen of Opposition underlined the need for 100 per cent use of the development funds. She also opposed the generation of electricity through coal and said it is hazardous to environment, human life and water. Indirect taxes should be reduced and district financial commission on the pattern of NFC should be set up, she suggested.
Sheikh Khurram Shahzad suggested increasing the salaries of civil employees by 15 to 20 per cent and also adding to minimum wages.
Sardar Roshan Singh, Mian Muhammad Rafiq, Lubna Faisal, Tauqeer Akhtar Niazi, Shaukat Ali Laleka, Muhammad Taufeeq Butt, Haji Imran Zafa, Bao Akhtar Ali among also spoke in support of budget.
Further proceedings of the session were adjourned to 9am today (Friday).