Balochistan unveils Rs1028bn budget
QUETTA: The Balochistan government on Tuesday unveiled a Rs1,028 billion budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, with the health an education departments getting a major chunk.
Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani presented the budget, which according to the government, prioritises transformative development, public welfare, and tackling pressing challenges such as climate change, healthcare, and education.
According to the announcement, Balochistan government has proposed 10 percent increase in salaries of government employees while 7pc increase has been suggested in pension of the retired government employees.
Balochistan government unveils Rs1028 bln surplus budget for FY2025-26
According to the budget document, the overall outaly of the budget for fiscal year 2025-26 is Rs1020 billion. The non-development budget has been set at Rs640 billion.
The provincial government also proposed to increase disparity allowance by 20pc for eligible government employees from BS 1 to BS16. The provincial government said federal revenue for the next fiscal year is estimated at Rs 801 billion while Balochistan's own revenue was projected at Rs 101 billion. Rs 24 billion revenue is expected from the sui gas lease extension bonus.
The overall total revenue for the next fiscal year is estimated at Rs 1020 billion with expenditure estimated at Rs 986 billion and total savings in the budget are estimated at Rs 34 billion.
Balochistan government has allocated Rs 249 billion for development expenditure from its own resources, while Rs66.5 billion will be available for federal development projects.
The development expenditure financed by foreign aid is estimated at Rs 30 billion. Balochistan government has allocated 19 percent of the development budget for the Communications Department. More than Rs 55.2 billion 21 allocated for the Communications Department, Rs42.7 billion earmarked for the Irrigation Department and Rs19.8 billion set aside for school education.
Balochistan Finance Minister told the assembly that Rs16.5 billion allocated for development projects in health sector, development budget of the Local Government Department has been set at Rs12.9 billion. Rs10 billion 17 crores allocated for Agriculture Department while development budget of the Energy Department has been fixed at Rs7.8 billion.
Balochistan Finance Minister claimed that Rs4.99 billion set aside for higher education, Rs56 crore allocated for mines and minerals, over Rs15 crore for women development. The Balochistan government has announced Rs12.6 billion for science and technology and Rs17.1 billion for public health engineering department.
Earlier, Provincial Cabinet which met under the chair of Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has approved budget for next fiscal year 2025-26.
Addressing the Cabinet meeting, CM Bugti lauded Finance Minister and officers of planning and other concerned departments for offering a balanced budget.
Balochistan CM said the second batch of 2300 youth will soon leave for training abroad. Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti hoped that the province will receive installment from the federation for conversion of agricultural tube wells on solar.
Balochistan Chief Minister demanded transparency in mega projects worth 60 billion. He said the government was opening 3200 government schools which had been closed due to shortage of funds and other challenges.
CM Bugti said 150 BHUS will be attached with tele medicines in the province. He lauded Chief Secretary for pension reforms scheme. Balochistan Chief Minister said irrigation, communication, education, health, law and order and climate change will be given priority in the new budget.
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