Punjab govt to present Rs2.1tr budget for next four months, today

The caretaker Punjab government is all set to present its second four-month budget of the ongoing financial year 2023-24 before the cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, on Monday (today). Earlier in June, the caretaker government had presented its first four-month — July-October — budget to the tune of Rs1.72 trillion after having spent the remaining six months’ budget (Jan­uary-June 2023) approved by the previous PTI government for FY23. This budget, which is expiring on October 31 (tomo­rrow), had raised many eyebrows because its document did not provide any details about the money to be spent in the run-up to the elections, which were originally expected in October. The first four-month budget also triggered widespread speculation that it might allocate funds for development projects and subsidies based on PML-N’s political agenda.