Summary Funds for establishment of peace, law and order have been increased by 27%.
QUETTA (Dunya News) – Balochistan government on Thursday presented provincial budget outlay of Rs 215 billion for the fiscal year 2014-15, Dunya News reported.
The provincial government announced a 10% raise in government employees’ salaries and pensions. The budget also saw a 27% rise in the funds allocated for the establishment of peace and order in the province.
Presenting the budget, Advisor to Chief Minister, Mir Khalid Langove said 50.742 billion rupees of funds have been dedicated for public sector development program while over 164 billion rupees have been earmarked for non-development expenditures.
Total income during the fiscal year has been estimated over 200 billion rupees which will be accommodated from devisable pool.
Over 8 billion rupees will be met from provincial income resources while 15.662 billion rupees deficit has been shown in the budget. He said special priority has been given to education, health, communication, energy, improving law and order and provision of drinking water to the people.
The Balochistan government has set Rs 1 billion for minerals department, 50 million for the restoration of Quaid-e-Azam residency, Rs 54 crore 92 lakh for the Fishing sector, Rs 2 billion 56 crore for livestock sector, Rs 20 crore to build parks in Quetta, Rs 6 billion 35 crore for agriculture sector, Rs 3 billion for procurement of 200 new bulldozers, 1 billion 49 crore for implementation of nutrition policy, Rs 20 crore for procurement of furniture for colleges and Rs 75 crore for upgradation of schools.
Langove said in his budget speech that a road of around 500 kilometer will be built to connect Balochistan with other cities of the country.
Balochistan government officially termed the fishermen as industrial labourers, announcing that loans will be provided t the fishermen on easy terms.
Finance Advisor announced that free medication of worth Rs 1.24 billion will be distributed across the province.
The government also announced formation of 2 new universities in Loralai and an agricultural university in Quetta. It also announced that the government will provide buses to all girls colleges of the province and that the campus of COMSATS university will be built in Gwadar city.
Langove said that Balochistan province is blessed with countless minerals, adding that the development lags behind due to the lack of financial resources.
