MIRPUR (AJK), June 25 (APP): Unveiling the breakup of Rs.73.50
billion new fiscal year (2016-17) AJK Budget, AJK Minister for
Finance Ch. Latif Akber has termed the budget friendly to the common
man and historical.
Addressing the post budget press conference in the capital
city of Muzaffarabad on Saturday asserted that the government has
focused in the budget primarily for the welfare of the man in the
street through devising a broad-based socio-economic planning
keeping within the available resources, he added.
Unveiling the overall break up coupled with salient features
of the budget, the AJK Finance Minister said that from total revenue
collection, an amount of Rs 18850.00 million will be generated from
state resources whereas Rs. 1200 million as water uses charges of
Mangla Dam, Rs. 13,000.0 million as income tax from AJ&K Council and
a share of Rs. 20,500.0 million will be collected from federal tax
share.
The AJ&K Government had made known a Rs 73500.00 million
revenue-oriented tax free budget here on Friday for the new fiscal
year 2016-17 with recurring expenditures totaled to be around
Rs. 61500.00 million with total revenue deficit (to be met by
Federal government) of Rs 9,000 million.
AJ&K Finance Minister Chaudry Latif Akbar said “an amount of
Rs 12 billion has been allocated for development sector with
Rs. 61500.00 million recurrent budget for the coming fiscal year,”
he clued-up the House.
The AJ&K lawmakers were informed that the government has
geared up the budget within available resources.
In his key note address to the AJ&K Legislators, he revealed
that health and education were the major sectors which have been
focused in the budget for the coming year.
(ALLOCATIONS IN THE BUDGET FOR NATION-BUILDING INSTITUTIONS):
The AJK Finance Minister revealed that recurring budget for
the fiscal year 2016-17 has been estimated as Rs. 61,500.0 million
and the sectors from which government is likely to generate income
is estimated are as follows ; 5,750.0 million from Provincial
Excise, 92.00 million from Land Record and Settlement, Rs. 160.00
million from Stamps, Forest 336.00 million, Jails 0.300 million,
Administration of Justice 80.00 million, home department 45.00
million, education 142 million, health 80.00 million, agriculture
4.00 million, animal husbandry 35.00 million, Industries, Labor &
Minerals 45.00 million, Sericulture 3.000 million, miscellaneous
570.700 million, Communication and Works 200.00 million, Electricity
10500.0 million, Printing Press 25.00 million, Armed Services board
20.000 million, Religious Affairs 40.00 million, Food 640.00
million, Tourism, Wild Life & Fisheries are estimated to contribute
Rs. 57.00 million. The Minister for Finance told the House that
total revenue generation has been estimated as 61,500.0 million with
Rs. 9,000 million deficits which will be met by the federal
government.
So far as the sectoral allocation is concerned, Mr. Akbar
enlightened the house that 2122.950 million rupee have been
allocated for General Administration, 668.800 million rupee for
Board of Revenue, 14.938 million rupee for Stamps, 22.340 million
rupee for Land Record & Settlement, 738.080 million rupee for
Rehabilitation and Relief, 8,600.0million for Pensions, 97.320 for
Public Relations department, 1104 million for administration of
justice, 4060.650 million for Police, 128 million for Jails, 94.090
million for Civil Defense and Rs 51.3500 million for Armed Services
Board.
Rs 3156.940 million allocated for Communication and Works, Rs
19898.453 million for Education, Rs million 5668.630 for Public
Health, Rs 61.800 million for Sports, Youth & Culture, Rs 128.950
million for Religious Affairs, Rs 225.990 million for Social Welfare
& Women Development, Rs million 563.810 for Agriculture, Rs 545.970
million for Animal Husbandry, Rs 179.150 million for Food, Rs
3,000.0 million for state trading, Rs 761.600 million for Forest, Rs
53.030 million for Co-operative, Rs 6050.300 million for
Electricity, Rs million 421.160 for Local Government & Rural
Development, Rs 109.680 million for Industries & Minerals, Rs 47.080
million for Printing Press, Rs 70.510 million for Sericulture, Rs
123.540 million for Tourism, Wild Life & Fisheries and Rs 2729.541
million as miscellaneous which makes the total as 61,500.00 million
allocation for non- developmental sector for the fiscal year
2016-17.
Making known the development budget for the financial year
2016-17 Minister for Finance stated that Rs 12 billion has been
estimated to be spent in development sector for coming fiscal year.
It includes Rs 357.00 million for Agriculture & Live stock, Rs
50.0 million for Civil Defense, Rs 650.0 million for Development
Authorities, Rs 1270.00 million for Education, Rs 50.00 million for
Environment, Rs 470.00 million for foreign aided projects, Rs 425.0
million for Forest, Fisheries & Wild Life, Rs 410.00 million for
health, Rs 249.00 million for Industries and Minerals, Rs. 20.00
million for transport, Rs 15.00 million for Information & Media
Development, Rs 125.0 million for Information Technology, Rs 650.00
million for Local Government, Rs 1240.0 million for Power, Rs 930.0
million for Physical Planning and Housing, Rs 60.00 million for
rehabilitation and resettlement, Rs 150.0 million for Research &
development, Rs 80.00 million for Social Welfare, Rs 140.00 million
for Sports, Rs 4,499.00 million for Communication & Works and for
Tourism Rs 160.00 million ( total amount of 11,500.000 million) for
the fiscal year 2016-17.
The finance minister said that the budget provides the solid
foundation for the socio-economic uplift of the people of the area,
provision of basic amenities of life and to accelerate the pace of
development activities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier the AJK cabinet approved the estimated budget
amounting Rs. 73500.00 million for fiscal year 2016-17.