MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government is set to present the estimates of the budget 2024-25 and budget 2025-26 in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
The budget presentation is scheduled to take place at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow under Article 38(1) of the Interim Constitution of 1974, the notification issued by the Finance Department added.
As per details, the government has prepared a budget with an outlay of Rs310 billion, including both development and non-development expenditures, for the fiscal year 2025-26.
The non-development budget has been increased by Rs 65 billion, from Rs 220 billion in the current fiscal year to Rs 285 billion in the next fiscal year. However, the actual expenditure for the current year is expected to be Rs 196 billion.
Furthermore, the government has proposed to allocate Rs 49 billion for pensions in the next fiscal year, which is Rs 3 billion more than the current fiscal year.
The actual expenditure on pensions in the current year is expected to be Rs 46 billion, despite an allocation of Rs 43 billion.
For education, the govt has allocated Rs 53 billion and Rs 38 billion for wheat purchase, incidental charges, delivery, and milling. This is an increase of Rs 8 billion from the current fiscal year.
Over Rs 31 billion has been allocated for miscellaneous grants, and Rs 13 billion for energy and water resources. This is an increase from the current fiscal year’s allocation of Rs 21 billion and Rs 12 billion, respectively.
Earlier today, the Azad Kashmir cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Anwarul Haq, on Tuesday approved the Finance Bill 2025 and the revised development and non-development budget 2024-25 and the budget 2025-26.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister said that deprivations can be redressed only through a people-friendly budget.
“The current government has included the development of the education and health sectors among the government’s priorities,” he said. The government has eliminated shortcomings in the system, and resources have been spent for the welfare of the people, the AJK PM stated.
