Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has announced a budget surplus of Rs103 billion for the first quarter of the fiscal year, exceeding the target of Rs45 billion. This result highlights the provincial government's effective fiscal management.
According to Zameen.Com, a recent report outlines the government's key achievements over the past eight months, notably a 35% budget allocation towards health and education, surpassing the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) expectations.
The report also details the reactivation of the Sehat Card initiative, with Rs20 billion allocated since March 2024, facilitating over 500,000 surgeries and reinstating essential health services. In agriculture, Rs20 billion was dedicated to wheat procurement to ensure food security, while Rs10 billion funded free textbooks, and Rs4 billion was saved by recycling books. Another Rs10 billion was allocated for free medicines.
Social welfare measures included Rs10,000 in financial assistance for 850,000 eligible families during Ramadan. In comparison, similar programs in Punjab and Sindh provided ration bags valued at Rs3,500 and Rs5,000, respectively.
Addressing energy challenges, KP has unveiled a solarisation project, allocating Rs55 billion to transition public sector buildings and low-income households to solar energy. The initiative includes Rs20 billion for equipping 13,000 government buildings, such as hospitals and universities, with solar power systems. Additionally, 130,000 households will transition to solar energy, with 65,000 families in settled and merged districts receiving free systems and the remaining offered systems at a 50% subsidy.
The solarisation plan aims to alleviate the electricity crisis, reduce energy costs, and decrease reliance on traditional power sources. Two memoranda of understanding were signed between the Bank of Khyber and the KP Energy Development Organisation to implement the project. Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, present at the signing ceremony on November 9, 2024, emphasized the government's dedication to sustainable development.
Through strategic financial management and sustainable energy solutions, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seeks to lead in addressing both economic and environmental challenges.