Speaking to the media outside the Punjab Assembly, she said that this marks the second consecutive year that the Punjab government has presented a budget without introducing new taxes, highlighting the government’s commitment to public relief.

She stated that record allocations have been made in the health and education sectors — the highest in Punjab’s 77-year history.

“This is the people’s money, and every single rupee is being spent with accountability before God,” she added.

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Earlier, during a meeting of the Punjab cabinet, the chief minister described the budget as a “zero-tax and the largest development budget” in Punjab’s history.

She claimed the new budget would surpass the benchmarks set by last year’s budget and announced the launch of 100 innovative development projects.

Maryam Nawaz emphasized major infrastructure goals, including the construction and expansion of 12,000 kilometres of roads and the building of 700 new roads.

She also noted the province-wide sanitation campaign during Eid, calling it a historic achievement.

Highlighting the government’s approach, she said the focus would remain on expanding the tax net rather than raising tax rates, calling it a difficult but necessary path.

She revealed that 94 new projects have been launched in the health and education sectors, with a goal to equip every government school with essential facilities and ensure free medicines across the province.

She also noted progress on a long-standing housing target: “What wasn’t achieved in the past 40 years — 40,000 homes — is now being delivered.”

According to Maryam Nawaz, the budget showed a surplus of Rs740 billion while meeting IMF conditions.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the Punjab Revenue Authority’s (PRA) performance, the chief minister acknowledged room for improvement.

She also announced that a performance-based bonus system is under review for government employees.

Additionally, she proposed setting the minimum wage at Rs40,000 and digitizing the wage payment system.

Looking ahead, Maryam Nawaz declared that the 2025–26 budget would be “historic” for the province, emphasizing that no financial scandal has emerged due to the adoption of e-tendering, transparency, and good governance.