FY2024-25: Balochistan govt presents Rs955.6bn provincial budget

Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Ahmed Nosherwani on Friday presented the provincial budget for the financial year 2024-25.

In the assembly session, the finance minister said it was a surplus budget with the total expenditure expected to be at Rs930.20 billion against the total earmarked receipts of Rs955.60 billion in the financial year 2024-25.

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On the revenue side, the provincial government expects Rs726.668 billion in receipts from the federal government, Rs124.489 billion in provincial own receipts, and Rs69.618 billion in capital receipts.

Meanwhile, in expenditures, the Balochistan government proposed Rs564.892 billion for the current revenue expenditure, Rs22.152 billion for capital expenditure, and Rs219.561 billion for Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDP).

Salaries and pensions

The provincial government proposed a 25% increase in the salaries of government employees of Grade 1 to 16, while a 22% raise for the employees falling between Grade 17 to 22.

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In pensions of the retired employees, the government earmarked a 15% increase for FY25.

Education

For the education sector, the total developmental and non-developmental expenditure budget was earmarked at Rs146.9 billion for FY25, 52% up from Rs96.5 billion in FY24.

Health

For health, the Balochistan government proposed Rs67.3 billion in non-developmental expenditure for FY25, up 30% from Rs52.7 billion last year. For the developmental expenditure in the sector, the government proposed Rs20 billion for the upcoming financial year.

Moreover, the finance minister said his government had earmarked 242 new vacancies in the sector.

For health card programme in the province, he proposed a budget of Rs5.5 billion.

Law and Order

For maintaining law and order in the province, the government proposed Rs84 billion in non-developmental expenditure in the sector, up 53% from Rs54.9 billion last year.

For the FY25, the provincial government earmarked Rs1.497 billion to buy new vehicles for law enforcement agencies.

Moreover, the government also proposed Rs193 million for Quetta Safe City project and Rs1 billion for Gwadar Safe City project.

Local government

For the local government grant, the provincial government proposed a budget of Rs35 billion, up 108% from Rs16.8 billion last year.

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For non-developmental expenditure in the sector, a budget of Rs37.8 billion was proposed, up 122% from Rs17 billion last year.

For developmental activities, the government proposed Rs5.2 billion for the sector for FY25.

Agriculture

For the agriculture sector, the provincial government earmarked a total of Rs23.8 billion for the developmental and non-developmental expenditures.

Food

The Balochistan government proposed an investment of Rs1 billion in a Food Security Revolving Fund.

The finance minister announced Rs1.2 billion for non-developmental expenditures in the sector, up 48.8% from Rs825 million last year.