QUETTA (Staff Report) – Balochistan budget for the next financial year with a total outlay of two hundred and forty-three billion rupees was presented in the provincial assembly in Quetta on Wednesday.
Presenting the budget, Adviser to the Chief Minister Balochistan on finance Mir Khalid Khan Langove said the deficit of the budget is estimated at twenty-six billion rupees.
He said one hundred and eighty-nine rupees have been allocated for non-development expenditures in the budget while fifty-four billion rupees have been earmarked for development projects.
Over two billion rupees have been allocated for the education sector, over six billion rupees for agriculture, and over 2.7 billion rupees have been set aside for the law and order situation in Balochistan.
Giving more details of budget, the advisor said over 2.51 billion rupees have been allocated for education while 1741 new posts would be created in the education sector.
He said the provincial government has decided to increase salaries and pension of government employees by 7.5 percent.
The adviser said 14.33 billion rupees will be spent on energy sector, over 1.11 billion rupees have been set aside for generation of commerce and industries in the province.
About five thousand vacancies will be generated in the new budget.
A new Gwadar International Airport would be constructed with the help of federal government.
The PhD allowance has been increased from seven thousand rupees to ten thousand rupees while M. Phil allowance has been increase from 750 to five thousand rupees.
Khalid Khan Langove said that 1.3 billion rupees were distributed among the families of those who were affected by terrorism in the province.
Moreover, compensation amount to the heirs of martyred personnel of forces and other government employees has also been increased from two million to four million rupees and the maximum to 50 million rupees.
The opposition boycotted the budget session. Later the budget session was adjourned till 20th of this month.
Earlier, the provincial cabinet has approved the budget proposals for the next fiscal year to be presented on Wednesday afternoon.
The cabinet met with the provincial Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik in the chair in Quetta.
