Sindh finance minister presents tax-free budget

The government employees will get a 15 percent raise in their salaries. The coalition partner ANP boycotted the budget session. The income of the government in the financial year 2011-12 was estimated to be Rs 458.40 billion. It was a surplus budget of Rs 880.20 million. Rs 2 billion development fund for Karachi, Rs I billion for Hyderabad Rs 1.40 billion for suburban areas of Karachi and Layari have been proposed. Rs 2 billion each were also allocated for Larkana and Nawabshah. Up to 20 percent raise in pensions was suggested in the budget. Sindh Bank earned profit in the tune of Rs 1,500 million during the previous year’s operation. By the end of this year 50 more branches of the bank will be opened. Rs 161 billion have been suggested for the Annual Development Fund. A separate package of Rs 1.5 billion for doctors was also announced in the budget speech.