Sindh Cabinet Discusses Fiscal Budget Priorities for 2025-26

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, presided over a cabinet meeting attended by ministers, advisors, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, and relevant departmental secretaries. The meeting focused on analyzing the budget proposals for Sindh for the approaching fiscal year 2025-26, according to a statement released from the CM House on Saturday.

The assembly highlighted the administration’s dedication to comprehensive advancement, diminishing poverty, and enduring progress, consistent with the guidelines set by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the statement further noted.

Opening the session, Murad Shah articulated, “I aim to involve all cabinet personnel completely in determining the next financial plan to assure it successfully addresses the tangible requirements of our populace.”

The Chief Minister laid out the essential focal points of the upcoming budget, emphasizing the significance of water delivery and drainage systems, development of solar energy, schooling, medical care, farming, and expansion of industries.

“This year (2024-25), we have refrained from initiating any fresh schemes, prioritising the completion of existing projects,” he stated.

He further included that for the forthcoming budget, Bilawal Bhutto has given directives to commence innovative schemes that “provide genuine advantages to the citizens”.

According to the CM House, significant highlights emerging from the meeting encompassed continuous revival initiatives for areas impacted by floods, renovation of educational institutions and healthcare facilities, and initiation of fresh large-scale projects via Public-Private Alliances to enhance infrastructure and amenities, reinforcing community welfare initiatives intended to abolish poverty and increasing budgetary distributions towards improvements and upkeep, as well as modernizing hospital apparatus and finishing transit projects within Karachi to enhance metropolitan mobility.

Recommendations presented by members of the cabinet incorporated reducing non-development costs and authorizing local administrations to accomplish financial autonomy, implementing electronic fund transfers alongside incentives to enhance community support delivery, broadening solid waste management and solar energy frameworks throughout the province, and building novel bus terminals across diverse districts to refine communal transportation.

The Chief Minister further accentuated the importance of cooperation between federal and provincial entities, expressing, “We shall finalize the financial plan contingent upon the federal government’s financial responsibilities (provincial allocation) and our provincial revenue objectives to ensure monetary stability and efficacy.”

“Subsequent to Eid, we will conduct extra gatherings to conclude and sanction the financial plan proposals. Our intention is to introduce a financial plan that is accessible, growth-focused, and centered on elevating the quality of living for each Sindh inhabitant,” he concluded.