The Punjab government is set to present its budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 today, with a proposed outlay exceeding Rs5.3 trillion and no new taxes expected to be imposed on citizens.
The budget will be presented during the 43rd session of the Punjab Assembly by Provincial Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman. Alongside the annual budget statement, the minister is expected to table the supplementary budget for FY2025-26, the Punjab Finance Bill 2026 and amendments to the Punjab Sales Tax on Services Act, 2012.
According to official estimates, Punjab is likely to receive around Rs4.4 trillion through the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, while provincial revenue collection is projected to reach nearly Rs1 trillion during the next fiscal year.
A major portion of the budget has been allocated for development and public welfare initiatives. More than Rs700 billion is expected to be earmarked for development spending, while approximately Rs800 billion will be allocated to the Punjab Finance Commission. The government has also proposed Rs650 billion for salaries and Rs505 billion for pension payments.
Government employees are likely to receive salary increases in line with the pay raises announced by the federal government in the national budget.
The Annual Development Programme (ADP) for FY2026-27 includes 3,560 development schemes across the province. Around Rs493.25 billion has been proposed for ongoing projects, while Rs258.75 billion is expected to be allocated for new development initiatives.
Among the flagship projects planned for the coming year are the establishment of the Kulsoom Nawaz Cancer Hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan, expansion of the Chief Minister’s Laptop Programme, and continued support for the Kisan Card, Livestock Card and Parwaaz Card International Placement Programme.
The budget also includes proposals for the creation of the Mian Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology and the Shehbaz Sharif Sports Complex. Security around the Punjab Assembly has been tightened amid expectations of opposition protests during the budget session.