Daily Times

The government has allocated an amount of Rs20 billion for the South Balochistan development package in the budget for financial year 2021-22.

According to official documents, the total cost of the project is Rs601 billion comprising of 199 development projects to be executed in nine less developed districts of Southern Balochistan during next three years to improve living standard of the local people.

The development package was prepared with an integrated strategy to ensure that the people belonging to all segments of the society should benefit from the development package, it added. The government, it said would establish industries in these less developed areas to help preserve perishable food items and other products, besides their value addition.

“Under this package, electricity will be provided to over 57 percent scattered population of the area and for this off-grid electricity option will also be availed.”

The government would build 16 new dams which would irrigate about 150,000 acres of land.

Around 640,000 children would be given distant education and they would be connected to the teachers based in major cities across the country. Under the Waseela Taleem Programme, as many as 83,000 children would be given free education and the government would also pay a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500 each to the parents (mother) of boys and Rs 2,000 each to those of girls.

Similarly, 35,000 young individuals of these areas would be given training to earn as freelancers.

The areas were suitable for olive and date cultivation and the government would establish one olive and three date processing units to help the farmers add value to their produce.

In the health sector, 200 health centers would be up-graded in the area under the special development package. Under the Sehat Nashonuma Programme (Health Nutrition Programme), it said, the pregnant ladies and newborn babies would be provided with required food diet so that the problem of stunting could be prevented.

Under the package, billions of rupees would be spent on the road projects to improve connectivity of these areas with the rest of the country.