PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday presented a budget of Rs2.170 trillion for fiscal year 2026-27, proposing substantial allocations for development projects, social welfare, healthcare, education, and law and order, with a deficit of Rs48 billion.
Presenting the budget on the floor of the K-P Assembly with Speaker Babar Salim Swati, the chief minister said that Rs524 billion has been proposed for the Annual Development Program, while Rs1.645 trillion is allocated for current expenditures. Likewise, Rs35 billion is earmarked for the merged tribal districts, while the overall budget deficit is estimated at Rs48 billion.
The provincial government has also proposed a seven percent increase in salaries and pensions for government employees of K-P. Similarly, it has proposed raising the minimum monthly wage by Rs5,000, bringing it to Rs45,000.
For the law and order sector, the budget recommended an allocation of Rs191 billion, while Rs200 million is proposed for the Good Governance Roadmap. In the social welfare sector, Rs15 billion has been proposed for the Ehsaas Mustahiq Program and Rs50 billion for the Health Card Program. In addition, Rs80 billion has been allocated for MTI hospitals.
The chief minister said the budget also includes proposed allocations of Rs36 billion for the Peshawar Rehabilitation Program, Rs7.5 billion for the Peshawar BRT, and Rs4 billion for the Khushhal Hazara Program. To promote the self-reliance of minority communities, Rs51 million has been recommended, while Rs2 billion has been allocated for the Ehsaas Kisan Program. Another Rs2 billion has been proposed to provide interest-free loans to individuals seeking employment opportunities abroad.
The chief minister said the provincial government has also proposed allocating Rs2.5 billion for an electric bikes and rickshaws scheme. The CM said a total of Rs334 billion is allocated for the health sector and Rs468 billion for education. Proposed allocations include Rs90 billion for the Local Government Department, Rs29 billion for the Home Department, and Rs14 billion for the transport sector. Similarly, the budget proposed Rs29 billion for agriculture, Rs42 billion for the energy sector, and Rs28 billion for the Zakat Fund.
