An all-time high record Balochistan budget for 2005-06 with an outlay of Rs 46.378 billion, showing a deficit of Rs 5.245 billion was presented by Provincial Finance Minister Ehsan Shah in Balochistan Assembly here on Wednesday afternoon.
Presenting the budget, the minister said that the government would overcome the deficit by generating income from local resources, austerity in expenditures and federal government assistance.
He said that Rs 11.766 billion has been earmarked for development budget, which includes Rs 2.766 billion as foreign assistance component, while Rs 34.611 billion has been allocated for non-development expenditure.
Income from provincial resources has been estimated at Rs 29.171 billion while receipts from federal resources are estimated at Rs 27.559 billion.
Giving out salient features of the budget, the Minister said that the government has decided to provide free education up to Intermediate level. "Education is our topmost priority, and free education is a big step in this direction," he added. This is in addition to funds spent at district level. The government has decided to abolish all fees and charges, except admission fee.
It has also been decided to provide Rs 10 million for Balochistan Education Foundation for assisting private sector in education sector.
Ehsan Shah said that the budget consists of several facilities and incentives for government employees. He said the federal government has announced pay and pension package for government employees, and the provincial government has decided to implement it as under: Fifteen percent raise in pay scales; house rent allowance according to revised pay scales; and 10 percent increase in pensions. All these facilities would be admissible from July 1, 2005.
The Finance Minister said that additional allowances and incentives for government employees, particularly low-grade employees, are under consideration of the provincial government and their notification would soon be issued.
He said the rate of subsistence allowance for employees who die during service or those becoming disabled was being raised three-fold. The rate of Group Insurance has already been increased.
He said that raise in pay and pension and other proposed incentives would cost Rs 3.5 billion.
He said that the government was considering a proposal to give proprietary rights to the dwellers of kutchi abadis at suitable rates and soon practical steps would be taken in this regard.
Agriculture farming would be streamlined in the province and Agriculture Department''''s farms would be given corporate farming status.
Private sector would be encouraged to run Pasni Fish Harbour. Small jetties would be built at Ormara, Jewani, Gans and Dam for fishermen.
Livestock farming would be promoted and high breed animals would be provided to the livestock breeders with foreign assistance. Poultry farming would also be developed so that avenues of employment and income are broadened.
He said that budgets of any country, province or organisation are not mere statistics but are reflections of concepts, objectives and targets. These are dreams, given shape on papers with the objective to provide facilities to the people, making life easy and providing an atmosphere in which energies, capabilities are given opportunities to materialise. The Government in office in the province is working in this direction by providing co-operation to district governments with federal government assistance.