LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman on Monday presented the Rs5,335 billion tax-free budget for the fiscal year 2025-26.
The finance minister said the upcoming budget would reflect the developmental vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
Shujaur Rehman has announced a series of major developmental achievements and public welfare initiatives across the province, highlighting key projects completed under the current government.
Annual Development Programme
Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has announced a historic development budget of Rs1,240 billion for the fiscal year 2025–26, calling it the largest in the province’s history.
The total budget outlay stands at Rs5,335 billion, with a firm focus on public welfare and economic growth.
Highlighting key achievements, he stated that over the past year, Pakistan’s GDP growth rate has improved, inflation has dropped to its lowest level in decades, and the interest rate has declined significantly from 22% to 11%.
Furthermore, the current account deficit has turned into a surplus, while foreign exchange reserves have climbed to $16.6 billion.
Shujaur Rehman emphasised that the government has ensured reduction in debt and is committed to financial discipline while pursuing ambitious development goals for the province.
Health
According to finance minister, the free medicines worth Rs11.1 billion were provided to 20 million patients treated in government hospitals. Additionally, insulin was ensured for over 1,600 childbirth cases, ensuring maternal health care.
The minister said that the burn unit project in Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan, costing Rs4 billion, has been included in the new budget, and the burn unit at Nishtar Hospital Multan has witnessed a decline in patient load.
Meanwhile, Rs7 billion has been allocated for a new teaching hospital in Sialkot, and Rs8.6 billion has been earmarked for the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology in Sargodha.
For overall healthcare development, Rs450 billion has been allocated in development funds, with a record Rs181 billion specifically reserved for the health sector, making it a key focus in the current budget.
Education
In the field of education, Rs8 billion has been allocated for Punjab’s universities, and eight new colleges are planned across the province. He also announced that the first Autism School in Punjab has been launched with a cost of Rs670 million.
Further, 112,000 students will be given laptops in the next fiscal year, and the School Wheel Program will be expanded to ensure better student transport access across the province.
Moreover, finance minister announced that the government has earmarked Rs494 billion for the social sector, out of which Rs148 billion has been allocated specifically for the education sector in the new budget.
To enhance the quality of education for low-income families, Rs35 billion will be spent under the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) Programme, ensuring access to quality education for underprivileged children.
Additionally, Rs40 billion has been allocated for the uplift of government schools, including plans for outsourcing schools to improve their standards and bring them at par or even better than private institutions.
Salaries and Pensions increased in Punjab Budget
As part of the Punjab Budget for the fiscal year 2025–26, the provincial government has announced a 10% increase in salaries for government employees and a 5% raise in pensions for retired personnel.
Additionally, the government has proposed raising the minimum monthly wage in Punjab to Rs40,000, aimed at providing relief to low-income workers amid rising inflation.
Chief Minister’s Laptop Scheme
Under the Chief Minister’s Laptop Scheme, Rs15.1 billion has been reserved to distribute laptops to students. Moreover, the Merit Scholarship Programme will receive Rs15 billion to provide enhanced educational opportunities to deserving students.
For women empowerment, modern IT courses are being offered, and environmental efforts are also showing results, with a noticeable reduction in pollution levels across the province. Additionally, the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” housing scheme has been launched with an allocation of Rs85.5 billion.
To further strengthen environmental protection, Rs10 billion have been allocated to revamp the Environmental Protection Agency.
Agricultural reforms include easy loans for farmers under the Livestock Card Scheme, and over 1,000 young graduates have been offered internships under the Agriculture Graduate Programme.
The minister shared that tree plantation has been completed on 2,950 acres, marking a significant step in afforestation efforts.
Meanwhile, the finance minister stated that digital registration of nearly 9 million families has been completed, enabling better targeting of government schemes. Under the “Khelta Punjab” programme, 45 sports projects have been launched to promote youth engagement.
The minister revealed that a Rs19 billion Easy Business Scheme Card has been introduced to support entrepreneurship, while reconstruction of over 70 major roads has been completed.
He also confirmed that 27 electric buses are now operational on Lahore’s roads, and the procurement of more eco-friendly buses is underway. In total, over 12,000 km of roads have been built across Punjab.
In terms of security and connectivity, the Safe City Project is active in 19 districts, and free Wi-Fi is available at 400 locations in Lahore.
Earlier, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz formally approved the budget during the 27th meeting of the provincial cabinet.
Addressing the meeting, CM Maryam Nawaz said, “Every single rupee belongs to the people—we are accountable to Allah. This is a zero-tax budget with the largest-ever development allocation.”
Maryam further announced that this year’s target for providing basic facilities in schools will be achieved. “Over 40,000 homes couldn’t be built in 40 years—we are now addressing the issue. There is very little time to deliver true change and public service,” she asserted.
She also noted that Punjab met IMF conditions and presented a Rs740 billion budget surplus. “We declared an emergency in the province and delivered accordingly,” she said.
In another X post, Aurangzeb said: “Under Chief Minister Punjab’s fearless and reformist leadership, Budget 2025-26 breaks free from outdated traditions.”
Meanwhile, Punjab’s Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that the Annual Development Program has seen a 47% increase, while government operational expenses have risen by only 3%.
