MUZAFFARABAD : Azad Jammu Kashmir's people friendly and tax-free budget for the next financial year (2009-10) was announced here with an outlay of over Rs 35 billion.
The budget was announced in Azad Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly which met here Saturday.
The total outlay of the budget is Rs thirty-five billion four hundred and six million in which Rs ten thousand seven hundred and fifty million have been set aside for development purpose.
Announcing the budget, the AJK Finance Minister Chaudhry Latif Akbar said that main focus of the budget is the rehabilitation of quake-affected people, road-communication, hydel-power projects and other socio-economic development programs.
Giving details, he said that total income from domestic resources is estimated over Rs nineteen billion eight hundred and seventy millions.
He said Rs twenty billion three hundred and eighty million s will be derived from Mangla Dam royalty, Azad Kashmir Council revenue and the Federal Taxes.
The finance minister said that total budget shows over Rs four billion seven hundred seventy million deficit which will be met by financial assistance of the Pakistan government.
He said the budget provides solid foundation for socio-economic uplift of the area with provision of infra-structure services and accelerating the pace of developmental activities particularly in the quake-hit areas and other parts of the region.
He said the Pakistan government will provide Rs ten billion seven hundred and fifty million to Azad Kashmir government for the annual developmental programme which is thirteen percent more than the outgoing financial year.
The highest amount of Rs sixteen billion would be spent on reconstruction and rehabilitation programs in AJK and over six billion rupees for completion of 11 mega projects under the ADP.
The AJK Finance Minister said sufficient allocations have been made in the budget for implementation of various development projects in health, education, agriculture and irrigation sectors.
A comprehensive environment protection programme will be carried out, besides provision of clean drinking water to the people of the liberated territory.
Moreover, Rs 100 million will be spent on extension of Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences in Muzaffarabad and construction of 150-beded District Hospital in Plundri.
In the education sector, over Rs720 million will be spent on completion and extension of various schools and colleges.
Another Rs350 million have been earmarked for promotion of information technology and technical education.
About raise in the salary of government employees, the AJK Finance Minister announced that it would be treated similar to the package given by the Pakistan government to its employees and pensioners.
On this occasion, the AJK Finance Minister paid special gratitude to the President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani for the provision of financial assistance in preparation of AJK annual budget despite Pakistan's own economic difficulties.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2009
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