Describing the Budget 2018-19 as people-friendly and caring, Minister for Public Works Naeem Akhtar today felicitated the Minister for Finance Dr Haseeb A Drabu for presenting a Budget that encompasses the aspirations and concerns of all the stakeholders and possesses all the qualities of being called a “Pro-people Budget”.Terming it as a Budget with a ‘conscience and heart’ to reach out to every section of the society, Naeem Akhtar said the Finance Minister has adequately taken care of the interests and aspirations of common masses, employees, businessmen, traders, youth, poor and marginalized in the Budget. Hailing the decision of implementing 7th Pay Commission, the Minister said this government will go down in history as the sole protector of the employees’ rights. The Budget has been prepared keeping in mind not only the people’s interests but both the short and long term economic objectives of the state, he added.He appreciated the decisions of rolling out CM’s Business Interest Relief Scheme, Group Mediclaim Insurance Policy for employees and journalists, government funding of interest on educational loan, abolition of Lower Munda and Heerpur toll posts, waiving off of interest and penalty on power arrears by the industrialists, hoteliers and tourist resort owners; power amnesty to small scale industrial units, subvention on education loan, abolition of toll on export of fruits produced in state, bringing power tariff of tourism sector at par with industry and other several new initiatives.