Murad chairs joint meeting of Finance and Planning & Development Departments to review proposals for upcoming budget

Murad chairs joint meeting of Finance and Planning & Development Departments to review proposals for upcoming budget

KARACHI (May 28): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presided over a joint meeting of the Finance Department and the Planning and Development Department to firm up proposals for the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.

The meeting was attended by Planning and Development Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Principal Secretary Agha Wasif, Secretary Finance Fiyaz Jatoi, and other relevant officials.

“Despite today being an official holiday, we have convened this meeting of P&D and the Finance Department,” the chief minister said and added that the purpose of the meeting was to finalise the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.

“I want most of the proposals to be finalised before Eid,” Mr Shah said and announced that more meetings would be convened soon to finalise the proposals. “The upcoming budget must be made in the interest of the public,” the CM said.

Planning and Development Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah informed the chief minister that out of 4,644 ongoing development schemes, 1,812 are expected to be completed this year. He directed that funds for the development schemes nearing completion should be released immediately.

Minister Nasir Shah also informed that various departments have proposed new schemes for the next fiscal year, many of which have been suggested at the local level. At this, Murad Shah instructed the relevant departments to shortlist the new proposals and present them in the next meeting.

“We will review funding in a separate meeting and finalise the new schemes accordingly,” Mr Shah said. He added that during the fiscal year 2023–24, the Sindh government had initiated 1,937 new development schemes worth Rs. 88.3 billion. “Most of those 1,937 schemes will be completed now,” he said.

The chief minister concluded that the provincial revenue figures will become clearer in the first week of June, and the budget proposals will be finalised accordingly.