Federal government to provide additional Rs 30 billion for roads in Balochistan: chief minister

Caretaker Chief Minister Balochistan Sardar Mohammad Saleh Bhutani has said the federal government has promised to provide Rs 30 billion additional for uplift of road sector in Balochistan while a committee has also been constituted to evolve a feasible formula to settle issue regarding gas development surcharge and gas reality between the federal and the provincial governments.
The committee would comprise both the representatives of the federal government and the provincial governments. Addressing a press conference here on Friday, he said these decisions have been taken in the meeting headed by the Prime Minister held in Islamabad.
Besides, increasing the road sector development budget the meeting also reviewed the pace of work on railway track in the province as feasibility of Quetta-Dera Ismail Khan via Zhob Railway track would be launched by February next.
Work on Lackpass tunnel some 30 km of the provincial capital on Quetta-Karachi highway would also be completed soon while the meeting also approved Khujjak Tunnel project and work on which would be launched soon.
The meeting also approved projects for supplying gas to Loralai, Zhob, Killa Siafullah and Noshki districts while work on the project to supply gas to Winder industrial state would be launched soon.
Besides, the meeting directed for expediting work on electricity supply projects to Northern and Western areas in the project. He said Dadu-Khuzdar transmission line would be completed soon which would ensure power supply to Awaran, Washuk, Kurkh and other parts in the province. Rs 100 million allocated for establishment of Kurkh grid station during the meeting and work on this project would be launched as early as possible.
Besides, the Saudi government has promised Rs 320 million for electricity supply project for Dalbandin while rest of the cost of the project would be borne by the federal government, he said, adding negotiations between Iranian and Pakistani governments is continued regarding supply of power supply to Gwadar, Awaran and Chaghi areas.