The Sindh government has unveiled a significant initiative to provide solar panels at no cost to 2.6 million households throughout the province.
During the presentation of the provincial budget, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who also holds the position of finance minister, announced an allocation of Rs. 25 billion over the next five years to fund this project.
The budget also introduced the Mazdoor Card welfare program, with an allocation of Rs. 5 billion to support laborers. This is part of broader social welfare initiatives, which include Rs. 11 billion for agricultural development, Rs. 12 billion for social protection measures, Rs. 3.2 billion for universities and educational boards, Rs. 2 billion for housing and town planning, and Rs. 1.5 billion for the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD).
Chief Minister Shah also proposed salary increases of 25 percent for employees in BPS-7 to BPS-16 and 22 percent for those in BPS-17 to BPS-22. Additionally, he announced a 15 percent pension increase for retired Sindh government employees, and a rise in the minimum wage from Rs. 35,550 to Rs. 37,000.
The total budget for the province for the fiscal year is Rs. 3.056 trillion. Of this, Rs. 519 billion is dedicated to the education sector to improve the quality and accessibility of education across Sindh.
Moreover, Rs. 334 billion has been allocated to the health sector to enhance medical services and facilities for the province’s residents.
To further develop transportation infrastructure, the provincial government has allocated Rs. 56 billion for the transport sector. Additionally, Rs. 302 billion has been set aside for the local government to support municipal services and development projects.