The Sindh cabinet has officially sanctioned the provincial budget in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The decision was met with commendation from attendees, who lauded the chief minister’s commitment to unprecedented development efforts throughout the province.
Addressing the gathering, CM Murad Ali Shah affirmed the government’s dedication to public service, emphasizing that the administration would continue its efforts under strong leadership. He highlighted that the forthcoming budget was crafted to address the needs of all social strata, ensuring inclusive growth.
In a significant development, the chief minister underscored the provincial government’s targeted measures for poverty reduction and enhancing living conditions. He also revealed that provisions to establish minimum wages for laborers have been incorporated into the budget, signaling a priority on workers’ welfare.
The provincial budget for the fiscal year 2026-27, exceeding Rs3.5 trillion, is scheduled to be presented in the Sindh Assembly today. Notably, the development budget faces a substantial reduction of Rs298 billion, while non-development expenditures are projected to rise by Rs418 billion. The district development budget is also set to decrease sharply from Rs55 billion to Rs15 billion. Conversely, overall non-development spending is expected to increase from Rs2,142 billion to Rs2,560 billion.
Budget allocations reveal significant shifts among key sectors. Funds earmarked for education and health development programs have been curtailed. However, Rs99.76 billion is allocated for municipal services and major development initiatives in Karachi. The Sindh Public Health Engineering Department is allocated Rs40.86 billion, the Works and Services Department Rs31.59 billion, and the irrigation sector Rs30.80 billion. Various education departments are proposed to receive Rs25.86 billion, while the health sector is allocated Rs17.43 billion and the transport sector Rs7.94 billion.
Under the Annual Development Programme, 3,715 schemes will be undertaken province-wide. Among these, Rs36.18 billion is designated for 731 Public Health Engineering projects, Rs31.59 billion for 297 Works and Services initiatives, and Rs30.94 billion for 186 irrigation schemes.
The education sector includes 655 schemes with Rs25.86 billion allocated, encompassing Rs13.95 billion for 404 school education projects, Rs4 billion for 41 higher education and board programs, and Rs3.5 billion for 104 college education initiatives. Additional funds are proposed for 63 projects under the special persons department, Rs14.11 billion for 25 major development projects in Karachi, approximately Rs29.5 billion for SDG-based mega projects, and Rs1 billion for essential facilities in the province’s riverine (katcha) areas.
