Daily Times

The Balochistan budget for the next fiscal year with a total outlay of Rs584.083 billion was presented in the provincial assembly on Friday.

Presenting the budget in the house, Balochistan Finance Minister Zahoor Ahmed Buledi said that no new tax has been imposed in the budget.

He said that Rs237 billion have been allocated for developmental and more than Rs346 billion for non-developmental expenditures.

Buledi said more than Rs55 billion have been allocated for betterment of the health sector while over Rs61 billion for school and education sector. About Rs21 billion have been allocated for uplift of higher education in the province.

The finance minister said more than Rs20 billion have been allocated for the agriculture sector. Buledi said that the government is presenting a balanced budget for the new fiscal year. It has been suggested to allocate Rs3.6 billion in the new budget to combat the coronavirus pandemic, whereas the province aims to vaccinate all citizens. He said that Rs500 million will be spent for the expansion of the children’s hospital, he added.

The government announced an end to the slip system from all state-administered hospitals across the province, whereas emergency centres are being established alongside roads. An amount of Rs5.5 billion is allocated for the health insurance card programme by the provincial government. More than Rs76 billion have been allocated for the initiation of 2,086 new schemes, announced Buledi.

“Rs200 million are allocated for the construction of two new hostels in Bolan Medical College; more than 200 government schools will be upgraded; Rs112 billion for ongoing development schemes while the budgeted development outlay is Rs189.19 billion for the new fiscal year.”

The government employees will get a salary raise up to 10 percent, announced the finance minister. He said that 5,000 new vacancies will be generated in the new fiscal year. He said that Rs71 billion for education sector, Rs52 billion for law and order, Rs2.2 billion for Balochistan Enterprise Development, Rs2 billion support fund for differently-abled persons, Rs3 billion for Apna House Fund for government employees, Rs500 million for minorities welfare fund,

Rs500 million for women economic empowerment, Rs3 billion for Balochistan pension fund, Rs2 billion for Balochistan Public Endowment Fund, and Rs11 billion have been allocated for upgrading District Headquarters Hospitals (DHQs).

Meanwhile, in a bid to stop the provincial finance minister from presenting the budget, opposition’s lawmakers held a sit-in outside the Balochistan Assembly.

Women legislators belonging to the opposition parties staged a sit-in outside the provincial assembly and refused to give way despite many requests by the administration. The atmosphere turned tense after the opposition’s lawyers stopped the assistant commissioner from entering the provincial assembly.

Clashes erupted between the police and the opposition lawmaker when Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan arrived at the assembly. The opposition MPA’s were of the view that they will not let the budget session to be held.

Meanwhile, the opposition lawmakers locked all four gates of the provincial assembly to prevent the budget session from taking place. However, the chief minister and few other ministers managed to enter the assembly. MPA Abdul Wahid Siddique injured during the clashes with police and was shifted to the hospital, said sources.