Sindh to present around Rs3.4tn budget for FY2026-27 today

The Sindh government will introduce its budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 today with a total outlay of more than Rs3.4 trillion, authorities said.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah will table the budget in the provincial legislature. The development budget suggested is Rs720 billion and contains more than 3,715 development programs.

Sources said that 73 per cent of the total revenue of Sindh is likely to be received in the form of transfers under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.

The budget is also likely to bring respite to government employees with a 10 percent hike in pay and an 8 percent hike in pensions on the cards.

Sources claimed the overall development budget of the province will be about 28 per cent less than the allotment for the current fiscal year. Of the development outlay, Rs256 billion has been planned for foreign project assistance and Rs68 billion has been proposed under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The administration is also contemplating to slash the District Annual Development Programme (ADP) allocation from Rs55 billion to Rs15 billion. The Provincial Development Programme is likely to be about Rs385 billion.

Budget data show the development portfolio includes 3,594 current projects and 120 non-approved, new ideas. The Local Government Department’s water supply, drainage and sanitation projects are 972 schemes while the Education Department has 655 schemes in the budget. Hundreds of development projects have also been funded for the Works and Services Department.

The proposed budget has allocated Rs6.3 billion for development projects of law and order institutions, Rs1.5 billion for divisional headquarters schemes, Rs6 billion for fast-track completion of ongoing projects and Rs250 million for development initiatives in undeveloped districts.

Ahead of the budget session, the Sindh Cabinet is also set to convene at 11am to evaluate supplementary expenditures for the outgoing fiscal year and adopt budget plans for FY2026-27.

The Planning and Development Department will also apprise the cabinet about the Annual Development Programme and approve decisions taken by the finance committee and approvals of minutes of previous meetings and summaries of circulation.