Daily Times

The Gilgit Baltistan government on Monday presented a total budget of Rs 119.32 billion for the financial year 2022-23.

Finance Minister Gilgit Baltistan Javed Manwa presented the budget in the GB Assembly. In this budget, a sum of Rs 47.88 billion has been earmarked for development projects while Rs 61.44 billion has been earmarked for non-development projects. In the development budget of Rs. 47.96 billion, while an amount Rs 18 billion has been allocated for federal PSDP projects and 10 billion wheat for subsidy. The GB government for providing relief to the government employees in the salaries, 15% as adhoc relief with merger of some adhoc allowances of previous years. The government has also granted 15% Disparity Reduction Allowance (DRA) to the employees In the annual development program, 644.8 million has been estimated for construction of channels and roads of uninhabited lands while 562 million has been estimated for value chain development. An amount of Rs.1.20 billion have been set aside for health sector, while Rs.2.25 billion has been allocated for education sector, similarly Rs2.53 billion for Power sector, Rs. 5.39 billion have been allocated for public works department. About Rs 6.53 million budget has been proposed for capacity building of management and law enforcement agencies.

A grant of Rs. 1.16 billion has been allocated for local government and rural development and Rs. 76.58 million has been allocated for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. A sum of Rs174.879 million has been allocated for Forest, Wildlife and Environment. An amount of Rs. 121.725 million has been allocated for Minerals and Industry Department and Rs. 498.84 million has been allocated for Food Department. It has been proposed to set aside Rs. 288.57 million for Culture, Sports, Youth Affairs and tourism, while Rs. 266.5 million for Social Welfare.