Latest news with #Rs519
Express Tribune
14-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Sindh jacks up education budget by 18 per cent
The Sindh government has earmarked a total of Rs613.36 billion for the education sector in the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26, covering all levels from primary to higher education. The allocation marks an 18 per cent increase over the Rs519 billion allocated for the public education sector in the outgoing financial year of 2024-25. According to the budget figures, Rs524.32 billion has been allocated for non-development expenditures, while Rs89.04 billion has been set aside for development projects. An amount of Rs3.2 billion has been allocated to cover registration and examination fees for students of government schools from grades 9 to 12, as well as to reward those who perform exceptionally in board examinations. To ensure access to learning materials, Rs5 billion has been reserved for the provision of free textbooks in public schools across the province. In a major boost to digital education, funding for the Digital Learning Programme under the Sindh Education Foundation has been increased from Rs3 billion to Rs19 billion. Budget allocations across various education levels have also seen significant increases: allocation for primary education has been Increased from Rs136.2 billion in financial year 204-25 to Rs156.2 billion in 2025-26 and that for middle/elementary education has been increased from Rs36.2 billion to Rs42.7 billion. Similarly, the allocation for secondary education has been increased from Rs68.5 billion to Rs77.2 billion and for college education, the allocation has been increased from Rs34 billion to Rs39 billion, the budget document read. Furthermore, Rs40 billion has been allocated for 31 public sector universities under the higher education budget.
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Perks for classes
Our state coffers are famously empty when it comes to catering to the common man – be it the matter of giving the public servants a raise in their salaries at the time of the annual budget; making allocations for health and education; providing even a negligible relief from the unbearable power tariff and petrol prices; launching any public welfare programme; or any other similar measure. Remember what Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had recently stated? The finance czar, during a Question Hour session in the National Assembly, made it categorically clear that "at present, no proposal is under consideration of the government for substantial rise of pensions of Federal Government employees in the next financial year." Obviously, due to empty coffers! However, the same "empty" coffers are ever ready to spew huge sums for the ruling elite – the very fraternity that the FM belongs to. Just last week, the salaries of federal ministers and ministers of state have been notified to increase Rs519,000 per month from Rs200,000 and Rs180,000 respectively. So urgent was the need for this raise – of 160-180 per cent, applicable from January – that the President of Pakistan had to issue an ordinance to this effect. The salaries of the mentioned ministers now match the salaries of MNAs and senators which had been raised by 175% this past February. It's audacity at its appalling best that the custodians of state coffers themselves cannot wait to clinch their pound of flesh, right in the middle of a serious economic crisis – while the masses continue to make sacrifices for the national cause. Shouldn't our elected representatives lead by example. Shouldn't they have avoided accepting the mentioned benefits and preferred being seen standing among the general public?
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Federal ministers get 188% salary bump
Listen to article The federal government on Sunday increased the salaries of ministers and ministers of state by 188% through a presidential ordinance, bringing their remunerations in line with that of members of parliament. President Asif Zardari issued the Federal Ministers and Ministers of State Salary and Benefits Amendment Ordinance 2025. It said that the increment would be effective from January 1, 2025, officials said. Through the ordinance, the government made the salaries of federal ministers and ministers of state equal to those of the assembly members. After the ordinance, the salaries of federal ministers and ministers of state were set at Rs519,000. The salaries of federal ministers were increased from Rs200,000 to 519,000, while the salaries of ministers of state were increased from 180,000 to 519,000. The federal cabinet had approved the 188% increase in the salaries of federal ministers and ministers of state in March.
Express Tribune
04-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Federal ministers' monthly pay increased to Rs519,000
Listen to article President Asif Ali Zardari promulgated four new ordinances, one of which increases the salaries of federal ministers and ministers of state to match those of National Assembly members (MNAs). The new ordinance amends the Federal Ministers and Ministers of State (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act, 1975, setting the monthly salary for federal ministers and ministers of state at Rs519,000, equal to that of MNAs. Before the change, federal ministers earned Rs200,000 per month, and state ministers received Rs180,000. As per the ordinance, the revised salaries will be effective from January 1, 2025. In addition, President Zardari issued an ordinance to establish the National Agri-trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA), aimed at ensuring sanitary and phytosanitary measures for imports and exports. Another ordinance, the Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, was enacted to recover pending tax amounts involved in litigation. The president also approved the Capital Development Authority (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, as part of a broader set of administrative reforms.
Express Tribune
22-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Ministers get staggering 188% salary bump
Despite tall claims of austerity and belt-tightening by the PML-N-led government, the federal cabinet has approved a summary for increasing the salaries of ministers, ministers of state and advisers, massively raising their pay to Rs519,000 per month. The increase came as the government acknowledged the financial strain on the salaried class due to taxation which, according to the statistics provided in the lower house of parliament, were heavy. According to sources, the increase amounts to a staggering 188% bump, giving ministers a handsome windfall at a time when ordinary citizens are being asked to tighten their belts due to excessive taxes. The development comes two months after the Finance Committee of the National Assembly approved an increase in the salaries and allowances of MNAs and Senators, bringing them in line with federal secretaries. The committee, chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, had unanimously approved the pay raise for parliamentarians. In the recent past, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had more than doubled the size of the federal cabinet, increasing its members from 21 to 43, including 30 federal ministers, nine ministers of state and four advisers. The new appointees also include four special assistants to the prime minister, meaning that the overall size of the premier's team now stands at 51 members, including eight SAPMs. According to Article 92 of the Constitution, no more than one-fourth of federal ministers and ministers of state can be from the Senate, and the total cabinet size cannot exceed 11 per cent of the total parliamentary membership. Presently, the National Assembly and Senate have 336 and 96 members, respectively, totaling 432. Having a hefty federal cabinet is not a new phenomenon in the country, as almost all previous regimes have claimed they would keep its size small, but later packed their cabinets. Ironically, Minister of State for Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani told the National Assembly on Friday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has repeatedly acknowledged the issue of excessive tax burden on salaried individuals. However, due to the country's fragile economic situation, immediate relief was not possible. "We hope to reach a position soon where relief can be provided," Kayani added, without specifying a timeframe.
