QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Monday presented budget with a total outlay of Rs 352.3 billion for fiscal year 2018-19.
Advisor to Chief Minister on Financial Affairs Ruqayya Saeed Hashmi presented the budget.
In her budget speech, she said that deficit of more than Rs 61.7 billion had been shown in the budget. She said that the province would meet the deficit from its own resources.
She added that Rs 27.9 billion had been allocated in the budget for over a 1,231 ongoing uplift projects included in the Public Sector Developmental Programmes (PSDP).
Similarly, 1,432 new schemes have been included in the PSDP for which Rs 67.1 billion rupees had been allocated. She said that Rs 264.04 billion had been earmarked for non-development expenditures while Rs 88.3 billion had been earmarked for developmental expenditures.
She said the government was trying its best to improve the situation of law and order in the province and to provide modern facilities to law enforcement personnel. For this purpose, Rs34 billion have been allocated in the budget.
She added that Rs 19.4 billion had been allocated for promotion of health sector, Rs 43.9 billion for education and Rs8.7 billion for agriculture sector.
She said Rs877 million will be spent on subsidy on wheat.
Rukiya further said that livestock and dairy products were the main source of livelihood of farmers in rural areas. Therefore, an amount of 4 billion rupees has been allocated for promotion of this sector in Balochistan.
She further said that the government was trying to provide job opportunities in the province and for this purpose, more than 8,000 job opportunities would be created for educated youth during new financial year.
She announced that 10 percent increase has been made in salaries and pensions of provincial government servants in the next fiscal year.
Earlier, the budget was formally approved by Balochistan Cabinet.
During the meeting, the provincial cabinet decided the budget would be people-friendly with maximum relief for the public. The meeting approved sale of wheat stock available with the Food Department under the open market policy so that the stock could be saved from wastage.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, who presided over the meeting, said the government was trying to provide maximum relief to people by allocating sufficient funds to the education and health sectors.
Published in Daily Times, May 15th 2018.
