Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked the provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to follow the federal government’s lead by cutting down their non-development expenditures and creating job opportunities in urban areas hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
The upcoming fiscal budget is being presented in an extraordinary situation, that has required non-development expenditures be curtailed whereas development expenditures are enhanced.
The prime minister was chairing a high-level meeting over the upcoming proposed fiscal budgets of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 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 including Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Abdul Razak Dawood, Dr Ishrat Hussain, Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Lt. Gen. (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, Punjab finance minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, KPK finance minister Taimur Salim Jhagra and other senior officials.
During the meeting, the economic teams of chief ministers of Punjab and KPK presented detailed briefings on the revenue, expenditures, and priorities contained in their respective proposed fiscal budgets for the year 2020-21and based upon ground realities.
Addressing the meeting, the prime minister underlined the need for prioritizing projects that can create employment opportunities and move the wheels of the economy.
For ensuring private sectors’ participation to meet the national and provincial development requirements, he also emphasized the need for facilitation of the private sector to accomplish projects under public-private partnerships.
The prime minister also directed the provincial governments to focus on the development of the 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 the agricultural sector.
The prime minister directed the provincial governments to pay special attention to the up-gradation projects of the health sector so that the general public can get quality health services.
create job opportunities while cutting expenditure. they are being asked to perform miracles!