• All 140 cut motions moved by opposition rejected
• Murad says budget deficit increased to Rs42.2bn from Rs37.7bn
• Centre to give Rs27bn for flood victims
• House unanimously pays tribute to Benazir Bhutto on birth anniversary

KARACHI: Amid continued absence of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers, the Sindh Assembly smoothly passed with majority vote the Rs2.24 trillion deficit budget for financial year 2023-24, rejecting over 140 cut motions moved by opposition members belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).

The house also approved Rs312bn supplementary budget by accepting 71 demands for grants on supplementary expenditure for the outgoing financial year 2022-23, rejecting 20 cut motions of the opposition members with majority vote.

The assembly with majority votes approved 160 demands for grants the year 2023-24 moved by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who also holds the portfolio of finance.

Expressing his happiness on the approval of the budget for the financial year 2023-24, the chief minister said that after many years the budget had been approved in a good environment.

“We are elected representatives as millions of people voted for us and sent us to this house. It is our duty to live up to public expectations,” he added.

Mr Shah recalled that some time ago, the atmosphere in the house was bad, but now it was a matter of happiness that the budget had been passed in a calm environment.

Briefly speaking on the budget, the CM said that out of Rs312bn supplementary budget, Rs55bn was spent on rehabilitation of flood-affected people, Rs55bn on wheat subsidy, Rs19bn on debt repayment, Rs5.43bn on health and Rs16bn on electricity payment.

He said that deficit in the budget for FY 24 had been increased to Rs42.2bn from Rs37.79bn while the development outlay, mainly aimed at rehabilitation of flood-affected people, had been re-estimated to Rs735bn from Rs700.1bn.

The CM said that total receipts were divided into five categories — current revenue receipts of Rs1.82tr, current capital receipts of Rs36.1bn, other receipts of Rs295.53bn, carryover cash balance of Rs45bn and net public accounts of Rs10bn.

He said that the current revenue receipts include Rs1.35tr of federal transfers in the form of revenue assignment (Rs1.23tr), straight transfers (Rs64.4bn) and grants of Rs33.7bn to offset losses due to abolished Octroi and Zila Tax (OZT).

The current revenue receipts also include Rs202.9bn provincial tax receipts, Rs235bn provincial sales tax on services and Rs32bn provincial non-tax receipts. As for the current capital receipts, Rs6.1bn went to local repayments and loans and Rs30bn to bank borrowing, he said.

The estimated expenditure of Rs2.247tr included a current revenue expenditure of Rs1.41tr, current capital expenditure of Rs136.3bn and development expenditure of Rs735 bn. The development expenditure includes the provincial annual development plan (ADP) of Rs380.5bn, foreign project assistance of Rs266.7bn, other federal grants of Rs22.9bn, and district ADP of Rs30bn.

The CM said that the federal government had finally accepted the demands of the provincial government for the flood victims. “We will get Rs27bn for the construction of houses and schools of the flood victims”, he said, adding that Rs3bn would be given by the federal government for the K-IV water supply project.

He said that Sindh was facing financial difficulties and the budget deficit had now increased to Rs42bn. “It is hoped that the federal government will include the announced schemes in its budget document,” he said.

Tribute paid to Benazir Bhutto

Earlier, PPP’s senior member and former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah moved a supplementary resolution to pay tribute to slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on her 70th birthday.

“This Assembly resolves to honour the memory of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on the occasion of her 70th birth anniversary. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto consistently dedicated herself to the advancement of democracy, peace, and a promising future for the country. She endeavoured to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and the sovereignty of parliament in line with the principles set by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto,” the resolution read.

It added that the global recognition she received as the first female prime minister of Pakistan and the Muslim world was a matter of pride and honour for the people of Pakistan.

“On her birth anniversary, celebrated annually on the 21st of June, this House pays homage to her lifelong struggle for democracy and betterment of the nation,” the resolution read.

Speaking on the occasion, Qaim Ali Shah said Benazir Bhutto’s leadership skills would always be remembered.

The resolution was adopted unanimously. Later, the house was prorogued.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2023