Aghaaz-e-Huqooq: Balochistan’s financial share more than doubles to Rs114b

Funding from the monies divided among the provinces has risen sharply since 2009.

An official update which reflects the achievements under the Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan package sent by the Balochistan government to the federal government stated that the National Finance Commission award has increased from Rs45 billion in 2009 to Rs114 billion in June 2012-13.

The provincial government received Rs1.5 billion from Islamabad for the salaries of 5,000 teachers appointed under the package. It received one billion rupees from the federal government for the rehabilitation and re-settlement of internally displaced persons of Dera Bugti.

The report sent on June 20 last year revealed that the Balochistan government is receiving Rs10 billion annually out of a total of Rs120 billion in arrears of the gas development surcharge. The federal government had agreed to pay it from 1954 to 1991.The total amount agreed to was Rs120 billion, and will be paid over a span of 12 years.

The Balochistan government also received Rs1.5 billion for flood relief in 2007 out of the committed Rs8 billion (Rs1 billion for relief and Rs0.5 billion for reconstruction and development). The provincial government also received Rs1.5 billion after the 2010 floods.

The government has agreed to pay to 30% out of its 50% share to Balochistan in the Saindak project. The province has received Rs953,395 million as its share out of this project during the current financial year, for 2009-10. Meanwhile, the provincial government has sent a letter to the Saindak project to expedite the release of its share due for the fiscal year of 2010-11.

Benazir Income Support Programme

During its review of progress on February 23, 2012, the federal government stated that the Benazir Income Support Programme has completed poverty surveys in 27 districts.

According to the review, Rs5.1 billion has been disbursed in the province through the programme so far.

The federal government has achieved 42 targets out of a total of 61 set in the proposal package by February 23, 2012. Meanwhile, another review showed that the federal government achieved 43 targets by June 4 last year.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2013.