category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU Chandigarh Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday commenced pre-budget meetings with the state officials to finalise budget estimates for various departments for 2023-24 fiscal. Cheema held discussions with the secretaries and officials of various departments here at his office to solicit the budgetary requirements of their respective departments, according to an official release. During the meetings, the officials apprised the FM about the current financial year char(39) s achievements of the respective departments and their targets for FY2023-24. They also shared the data regarding the number of beneficiaries under various schemes, besides elaborating on the expected increase during the next fiscal year. The new schemes proposed by the departments for FY2023-24 were discussed at length to plan budgetary provisions accordingly. Today, the major departments that took part in discussions include departments of higher education and languages, health and family welfare, home affairs and justice, taxation, power, and excise, the release said. (editor dailyworld.in)