Thu, September 17, 2026
Lahore (Web Desk): Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba-ur-Rehman on Tuesday tabled of Rs5.9 trillion provincial budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2026- in the Punjab Assembly.
The budget session was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, along with provincial ministers and members of the provincial assembly.
As outlined in the budget speech, the upcoming fiscal plan is 10.7 percent larger than the current year’s budget. The government has estimated total revenue for the next fiscal year at Rs1.2 trillion.
Overall current and development expenditures have been projected at Rs679 billion. For development initiatives, Rs752 billion has been set aside, while Rs750 billion has been allocated for education and Rs500 billion for the health sector. Compared with the previous year, education spending shows a 15 percent rise, whereas health funding is 10 percent higher.
The government has proposed a 7 percent increase in salaries for public sector employees, which will take total salary-related spending to Rs639 billion. Meanwhile, pensions for retired government staff are expected to rise by 3.5 percent, bringing pension expenditure to Rs500 billion.
In healthcare development, Rs20 billion has been earmarked for the ongoing Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research. Another Rs169 billion has been allocated for establishing the Nawaz Sharif Medical District.
The budget also includes Rs1.75 billion for Neuro Cath Labs under the Stroke Initiative, along with Rs5 billion for strengthening emergency medical services.
Further allocations in the health sector include Rs15.21 billion for a cancer hospital in Dera Gazi (DG).
Khan and Rs23.37 billion for a children’s hospital in Bahawalpur. Additionally, Rs1.9 billion has been proposed for setting up autism schools across all divisions of the province.
In the education and skills development sector, Rs6.9 billion has been proposed for IT labs in colleges, while Rs40 billion is allocated for initiatives including the Maryam Nawaz Sharif Centre of Academic Leadership, the Nawaz Sharif Centre of Excellence, and STEAM laboratory programmes.
For law and order, the provincial government has proposed Rs252 billion in total spending. Within this, Rs2.2 billion will go toward constructing police stations and posts in riverine areas, while Rs14 billion has been reserved for establishing crime scene units across 28 districts.
On the transport and infrastructure side, Rs26.6 billion has been allocated to support ongoing mass transit projects in Gujranwala and Faisalabad.
The budget also proposes Rs168 billion for an electric bus programme, along with Rs10 billion dedicated to the development of regional railway projects.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday gave formal approval to the provincial budget for the financial year 2026–27, after the 35th meeting of the provincial cabinet endorsed the budget proposal.
During the cabinet session, she stated that the government had worked to extend the highest possible relief to the general public and to lessen the economic pressure on citizens, despite challenging economic conditions and an uncertain global environment.
She added that although a considerable share of resources had to be transferred to the federal government, the provincial administration remained committed to prioritising public welfare and protecting citizens’ interests.
She further said that the FY2026–27 budget had been formulated without introducing any fresh taxes and was focused on development, public service delivery, and economic improvement.
Calling it a “budget of hope,” she said it aimed to provide relief to people by relying on the province’s own financial resources.
The chief minister also directed the Punjab Revenue Authority to enhance its performance and take effective steps for improving revenue collection, so the province’s financial strength could be further increased.
She expressed confidence in her government’s performance and hoped that, like previous budgets, this one would also meet public expectations.
The Punjab CM appreciated the teamwork and coordination shown by ministers and officials in preparing the budget, describing it as a citizen-focused financial plan.
She also prayed for continued strength and guidance to serve the people of Punjab with sincerity and commitment.
The Punjab CM acknowledged the contributions of Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Information Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Finance Secretary Mujahid Sherdil, and the wider team involved in drafting the budget proposals.
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