Independent Report
QUETTA: The Balochistan’s annual surplus budget having total volume of Rs. 955. 602 billion for the next financial year 2024-25 was presented in the provincial assembly here on Friday.
The Provincial Minister for Finance, Mir Shoaib Nausherwani unveiled the maiden budget of the Chief Minister, Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti-led coalition government while the Speaker, Captain (Retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai was in chair and the Chief Minister in attendance.
Unveiling the provincial budget, Mir Shoaib Nausherwani said that while the total volume of provincial budget for the next financial year is over Rs. 955 billion, the total expenditures are estimated as over Rs. 930.206 billion in the budget showing surplus Rs. 25.395 billion.
The Minister Finance mentioned that the budget allocated over Rs. 321 billion for development expenditures.
As per the budget documents and mentioned by the Finance Minister in his budget speech, Balochistan is set to receive Rs. 862 billion from transfers and the divisible pool.
The budget has allocated over Rs. 93 billion for law and order, over Rs. 146 billion for education, and over Rs. 67 billion for health sectors.
As per the budget at a glance, over Rs. 138 billion have been allocated for the general public service, over Rs. 93 billion for the public order and safety affairs, over Rs. 79 billion for economic affairs, over Rs. 909 million for the environment protection, over Rs. 49 billion for the housing and community amenities, over Rs. 67 billion for health sector; over Rs. 146 billion for the education affairs and services, over Rs. 13 billion for the social protection and over Rs. 6 billion for recreational, culture and religion sectors.
According to the budget document, Balochistan would get over Rs. 862 billion from the revenue receipts including Rs. 726 billion from the federal government receipts. These are included over Rs. 647 billion from the divisible pool, over Rs. 20 billion from the straight transfers, over Rs. 20 million from the non-development grants and over Rs. 59 billion from the development grants.
The total provincial own receipts are estimated in the budget as over Rs. 124 billion. These are included: over Rs. 47 billion from the provincial tax receipts, over Rs. 18 billion from the provincial non-tax receipts and over Rs. 58 billion from the provincial non-tax receipts (including the lease extension bonus).
Similarly, the capital receipts in the budget are estimated as over Rs. 69 billion. These are included over Rs. 21 billion (recoveries of loans, advances and investments), over Rs. 17 billion (foreign project assistance – loan) and over Rs. 30 billion (projects financing).
The Minister Finance announced that the salaries and pensions of the government employees and pensioners have been increased on the pattern of federal government.
He mentioned that 25 percent increase has been proposed in the salaries of government employees of Grade-1 to 16 while 22 percent increase has been proposed in the salaries of government employees serving in Grade-17 to 22.
Besides, 15 percent increase has been proposed in the pensions of retired provincial government employees in the next financial year’s budget, he added.
He announced that the grant of public sector universities has been increased to Rs. 5.5 billion in the next financial year budget recording 100 percent increase.
He said that 535 and 242 new vacancies have been created in the education and health sectors respectively in the next budget.
Moreover, the existing vacant posts of 9394 teachers would also be filled on merit in education department, he announced.
He said that a total of 2704 new development schemes have been proposed in the next financial year budget, however, 3976 ongoing schemes would also be executed in the budget, he added.
He said that Rs. 10 billion have been proposed to cope with the challenges of climate change and natural disasters in the next financial year budget. While Rs. 1 billion has been allocated for the Gwadar safe city projects besides Rs. 193 million allocated for Quetta safe city project. The local government grant has also been increased to Rs. 35 billion from existing Rs. 16. 8 billion in the next budget.
Delivering his budget speech, the Minister Finance said that we would not leave any stone unturned in meeting the public expectations and development of the province under leadership of Chief Minister, Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti.
He believed that new era of overall development and prosperity would begin with the effective measures being taken by the provincial government.
He said that we have made pledge with people of the province that the backwardness of the province would be removed by working hard on priority basis.
In the end, the Minister Finance thanked the leaders and members of assembly including the coalition government as well as the Chief Secretary, Secretary Finance and staff, Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development for assistance in the budget preparations.
He said that all of them continued to perform their duties even during the Eid holidays.
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