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MIRPUR (AJK)-The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday unveiled over Rs1.21 Trillion budget for new fiscal year of 2019-20, here at the state’s Legislative Assembly.

The State government claimed it has presented the largest budget in AJK’s history, amounting Rs1 trillion, 21 billion and 560 million for the new fiscal year 2019-20. Special session of the Azad Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly held at the state’s metropolis with Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir in the chair.

Highlighting features of the annual budget in the house, AJK Finance Minister Dr Najeeb Naqi said that a sum of Rs97 billion have been allocated for the ongoing expenditures, whereas Rs24. 560 billion have been earmarked for development expenditure. “An 11 percent increase has been made in Annual Development Programme for next financial year,” the minister said, adding that a huge chunk of Rs9 billion, 801 million has been set aside for highways, Rs2 billion, 670 million for education and Rs750 million has been allocated for health sector.

“The salaries of employees from Grade-1 to 16 have been increased 10 percent while from grade 17 to 20 only 5 percent. Similarly 10 percent increase has been proposed in pension,” he announced.

Presenting an outlay of current and revised budget estimates, Finance Minister Dr Najeeb Naqi said that in next annual development budget, 40 percent of total outlay has been allocated for communication sector, 11 percent for education, 10 for physical planning and housing, 9 percent local government, 8 percent for power, 6 percent for foreign aid projects, 3 percent for health, while 13 percent funds have been set aside for other productive sectors.

The minister said that under annual development expenditures, Rs419 million have been set aside for agriculture and livestock in the next financial year, Rs95 million for civil defence, Rs202.497 million for development authorities, Rs60 million for environment, Rs1 billion, 343 million for projects being run by foreign aid, Rs550 million for forests, wildlife and fisheries, Rs750 million for health, Rs528 million for industries and minerals, Rs20 million for transport, Rs37 million for information and media development, Rs235 million for Information Technology, Rs2 billion, 355 million for local government and rural development, Rs2 billion, 405 million for physical planning and housing, Rs2 billion, 70 million for electricity, Rs264.6 million for research and development, Rs104.455 million for rehabilitation/resettlement, Rs150 million for social welfare and women development, Rs200 million for sports, youth and culture, Rs200 million for tourism and a huge sum of Rs9 billion, 901 million have been set aside for roads, communication and works in the budget.

Describing the expenditure of expected income during the next fiscal year, the finance minister said the expenditure of total receipts have been estimated Rs97 billion. He said Rs25 billion and 600 million is expected from tax revenue, Rs85 million from law and order, Rs75 million from the revenue department, Rs300 million from stamp papers, Rs40 million from transport authority, Rs15 billion and 100 million from electricity, Rs720 million miscellaneous, 40 million from industries, 210 million from police, 0.35 million from jails, 357 million from communication and works, 160 million from education, 145.65 million from health, 40 million from religious affairs, 251 million from food department, 10 million from agriculture, 30 million from wild life and fisheries, 35 million from animal husbandry, 400 million from forests, 7.0 million labour, 4.0 million from sericulture, 40 million from government printing press, 15 million from armed services board, 54 billions 850 million from grants, 600 million from water use charges, 10 million from minerals, 25 million from tourism, 450 million from loan advances and 2 billion 600 million from adjustment of overdraft.

Sharing details of the ongoing expenditures, the Finance Minister said that Rs4 billion and 546.9 million is being spent on general administration, Rs962.3 million on board of revenue, Rs21.4 million on stamp papers, Rs32.4 million on rehabilitation department, Rs1 billion and 49.4 million on rehabilitation and relief, Rs20 billion on pension, Rs162.7 million on information, Rs1 billion and Rs718.5 million on judiciary, Rs5 billion and Rs993.8 million on police, Rs194.1 million on jails, Rs203 million on civil defence, Rs76.5 million on armed services, Rs3 billion and Rs660.2 million on communication and works, Rs27 billion and 169.0 million on education, Rs9 billion and 69.8 million on health, Rs83.2 million on sports youth and culture, Rs177.9 million on religious affairs, Rs444.5 million on social welfare and women development, Rs764.8 million on agriculture, Rs697.7 million on livestock, 265.9 million on food, Rs1 billion and 600 million on state business, 1 billion 117.4 million on forests, Rs43.8 million on cooperative, 8 billion 594.8 million on electricity, 599.2 million local government and rural development, 151.9 million on industry and mineral development, 67.5 million on printing press, 95.7 million on sericulture, 173.7 million on tourism, wild life and fisheries and 15 billion 383.7 million on miscellaneous (grants).

The total expenditure comes to Rs95 billion and Rs740 million while capital expenditures are Rs1 billion and 260 million. The total of these expenditures comes to Rs97 billion.