–Imran tells provinces to prioritise job creation in upcoming budget
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday told the governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to cut their non-development expenditures like the federal government, and to create job opportunities in urban areas hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
The prime minister said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic situation worldwide was unusual. The upcoming fiscal budget would be presented in this extraordinary situation and it requires that non-development expenditures should be curtailed whereas development expenditures should be enhanced, he added.
The prime minister said this while chairing a high-level meeting on the proposed fiscal budgets of Punjab and KP for the year 2020-21.
The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Information Senator Shibli Faraz, Minister for Industries Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Minister for Planning Asad Umar, PM’s Advisors Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Abdul Razak Dawood, Dr Ishrat Hussain, Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Lieutenant General (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, KP Finance Minister Taimur Salim Jhagra and other senior officials.
During the meeting, the economic teams of chief ministers of Punjab and KP presented detailed briefings on the revenue, expenditures and priorities contained in their respective proposed fiscal budgets for the year 2020-21.
Addressing the meeting, the prime minister underlined the need for specially prioritising those projects which would create employment opportunities and move the wheels of economy rapidly.
For ensuring private sector’s participation to meet the national and provincial development requirements, he also emphasised on the need for facilitation of private sector to accomplish projects under the public private partnership.
He further also directed the provincial governments to specially focus on the development of industrial and agricultural sectors.
The premier was briefed on the priorities being given in the proposed budgets regarding the special economic zones and promotion of agricultural sector.
The prime minister directed the provincial governments to pay special attention on the upgradation projects of health sector, so that the general public could get quality health services.
