LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha will present the provincial budget for financial year 2017-18 on Friday (June 2) at 2:30 pm in the provincial assembly.
A spokeswoman for the finance minister said that the upcoming budget would focus on education, health, agriculture, infrastructure development, clean drinking water and energy projects keeping in view the ongoing projects. “Special recommendations will be given to facilitate the business community and increase exports with no new taxes. However, the tax net will be widened to ease the burden,” she said.
“The private-public partnership will be enhanced to increase employment opportunities and interest-free loans will be provided to promote small and medium enterprises. Skill development and vocational trainings programmes will be made at a par to the standards of the job market. Tax recoveries will be reformed to facilitate the business community,” she said.
“Like the previous year, a citizens’ budget will be presented (in the form of graphs) for easy understanding of the budget documents,” she said.