Subsidies of 1,190 billion rupees (about $1.50 billion) are being considered for use in Pakistan to fund projects in the power sector, agricultural tube wells in Balochistan, and the electricity tariff differential, among others.
Pakistan Energy Revolving Fund received 48 billion rupees, K-Electric 174 billion, Azad Kashmir Tariff Differential 108 billion, and FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) areas 62 billion rupees in government subsidies.
Noteworthy to this point is the announcement of’significant’ relief for government employees, with salary increases of up to 25% made by Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, the federal minister for Finance and Revenue.
On the floor of the National Assembly, the minister of finance presented the budget for the fiscal year 2024-25. He announced that the government intended to increase pay by 25% for employees in grades 1–16 and by 20% for employees in grades 17–22.
The minister of finance also recommended a 15% hike to pensions for the elderly in the budget. Workers now get a minimum of 37,000 rupees per month, up from 32,000 rupees before.
In spite of budget cuts, Muhammad Aurangzaib remarked, the administration has recognized the problems its workers are experiencing and is working to find solutions.
