Maryam Nawaz Govt. Spent 40Billion Rs. More Than Alloted Amount

Since Maryam Nawaz took charge as the Chief Minister of Punjab, the province has witnessed a sharp and worrying increase in government spending, going far beyond the approved financial limits. Official documents have revealed a pattern of excessive administrative spending, raising eyebrows across political and public circles.

In the fiscal year 2023-24, the Punjab government had earmarked Rs. 87.68 billion for administrative operations. However, contrary to this allocation, over Rs. 128.68 billion were actually spent — an excess of more than Rs. 40 billion beyond the approved budget. This unexpected overspending reflects an alarming trend of financial mismanagement.

In the latest budget for fiscal year 2024-25, the allocated administrative budget has further increased to Rs. 130.47 billion, showing an upward revision of nearly Rs. 2 billion compared to the previous year’s actual expenditures.

According to official budget documents:

A total of Rs. 71.6 billion has been allocated solely for the salaries of government employees.
Rs. 59.4 billion is reserved for other operational and administrative expenses.

This substantial increase in administrative costs contradicts the government’s repeated appeals for austerity amid Pakistan’s ongoing economic crisis.

The Punjab Assembly’s expenditures have also witnessed a continuous upward trend:

In the previous budget, Rs. 1.6 billion were allocated for assembly expenses, but actual spending crossed Rs. 2 billion.
In the current financial year, the Punjab Assembly has been given an increased budget of Rs. 3.2 billion, which is Rs. 320 million more than the previous allocation.

Additionally, the Provincial Assembly Department had a budget of Rs. 3.4 billion last year, but actual expenses crossed this limit, reaching Rs. 3.88 billion, highlighting a clear case of overspending. This year, the department has been allocated a hefty Rs. 4.13 billion, highlighting an increase of Rs. 250 million.

Governor House Expenditures

Even the Governor House has not remained untouched by this extravagant pattern:

Its budget has seen an increase of Rs. 30 million, with Rs. 120 million more projected for spending this year.
Additionally, the Governor House Secretariat will also incur an additional Rs. 20 million, totaling a Rs. 30 million hike in this domain alone.

Public Concerns over Lavish Spending

While the government regularly urges citizens to adopt simplicity and financial discipline due to the country’s fragile economic situation, the excessive and unchecked increase in government administrative expenses tells a different story. These growing figures have triggered significant concern among the general public and economic analysts, who question the priorities of the provincial leadership.

Many view this as a glaring contradiction — at a time when inflation is soaring, and citizens are being asked to tighten their belts, the provincial government appears to be indulging in lavish expenditures without sufficient accountability.