Balochistan govt presents budget of Rs215.7b

Rs200 million allocated for quake hit Awaran district. Rs50 million set aside for rebuilding Quaid-e-Azam residency.

QUETTA: The coalition government of Balochistan presented a  Rs215.713 billion deficit budget for financial year 2014-15, in an assembly session on Thursday evening.

It was the second annual budget presented by Dr Abdul Malik Baloch-led coalition government of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pashtoonkhawa Milli Awami Party, National Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).

Speaker Mir Jan Muhammad Jamali presided over the budget session, while Khalid Langove, the provincial adviser on finance, presented the budget.

"The total income is estimated at Rs200.051 billion, and the deficit would be Rs15.662 billion," langove said.

Langove added that Balochistan expects to collect an income of Rs8.970 billion from its own resources in the upcoming fiscal year, while the province would receive Rs141.213 billion from the divisible pool and Rs16.858 billion from direct transfers. Rs10 billion from other receipts and Rs3.279 billion from capital receipts are expected.

The main sectors in which the budget has been divided is as follows:

PSDP

An amount of Rs50.742 billion has been allocated for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and Rs164.97 billion has been allocated in head of non-development expenditures.

Employment

About 3,925 new jobs have been created in different government departments including education, health and others.

Furthermore, the federal government has promised financial support for providing jobs to the youth of Balochistan in federal institutions.

Law and order

For the maintenance of law and order and for departments pertaining to law and order, Rs1.7251 billion has been allocated in the budget.

"Our government has earmarked Rs1.7251 billion for the police, Balochistan Constabulary, levies force and other departments for maintenance of law and order," he said.

Education

A sum of Rs5 billion has been allocated for the establishment of the Balochistan Education Endowment Company. The majority of this fund will be for infrastructure development.

Additionally, Rs324.884 million has been allocated for the provision of facilities to schools and colleges. Rs400 million has been budget for provision of furniture and scientific equipments to schools, Rs750 million for repair and renovation of schools and Rs500 million for the Chief Minister Endowment Fund.

The budget also allocated Rs750 million for the upgradation of 200 primary schools to middle schools, and Rs425 million for upgrading 50 middle schools to high schools.

He added that the education budget for fiscal year 2014-15 is 16% more than last year’s budget.

Health

The Balochistan government has allocated Rs15.362 billion for health.

Non-development expenditures of the health sector was allocated Rs14.148 billion, and Rs1.214 billion was allocated for the provision of free medicines to patients at government-run hospitals.

Solar energy

With power the main problem across Pakistan the Balochistan government said that it had allocated Rs1 billion in the new fiscal budget for a solar home system project. The project aims to provide electricity to 300 villages.

Langove added that such projects would help in meeting the energy requirements after they are implemented.

Roads

Langove announced that Rs9.726 billion funds have been allocated for the communication sector, including 391 schemes for the construction of roads. Among them, there will be 152 new projects and 239 ongoing road schemes will be completed.

Foreign aid

The Balochistan budget includes Rs2.723 billion in foreign aid.

Water schemes

Referring to the water issue, he said that an amount of Rs400 million was allocated for the installation of solar energy system to supply electricity to water supply schemes.

Awaran earthquake

For repairing and renovation of schools damaged in the earthquake which occurred in the Awaran district, Rs200 million was allocated.

Quaid-e-Azam residency

The speaker said that Rs50 million had been allocated for the renovation of the Quaid-e-Azam Residency that was damaged and burnt down last year.

Sports

The sports sector was allocated Rs1814.013 million.

Ban on perks

As part of austerity measures in the Balochistan budget, Langove said that there would be a ban on spending government funds for medical treatment in foreign countries and ceremonies in hotels on the expenditure of the government.

The Public Accounts Committee of the Balochistan Assembly would also be set up with immediate effect.

Outlining further austerity measures, he said that a complete ban has been imposed on purchase of luxury vehicles for government departments.