QUETTA – The PPP-led coalition government in Balochistan presented the third budget here on Monday for the fiscal year 2010-11 with total outlay of more than Rs 152 billion, having Rs 7.1 billion deficit while the size of development budget is Rs 26.7 billion.
The basic salaries of police, Levies Force and Balochistan Constabulary have been increased to 100 percent while 50 percent enhancement was made in the salaries of civil employees. No new tax has been levied in the budget while opportunities of 5,700 new jobs have been created.
A deficit of Rs.7.10 billion has been shown in the next budget which will be bridged through provincial resources. Balochistan Finance Minister, Mir Asim Kurd Gailoo, presented the fiscal year 2010-11 budget during a special session of Balochistan Assembly with Deputy Speaker Matiullah Agha in the chair amid tight security. He said that the current expenditure estimates are Rs 83.440 billion while capital expenditure estimates are Rs 41.810 billion.
The development budget estimates are about Rs 26.000 billion which includes Rs 4.000 billion of foreign project assistance. He said that total estimates of receipts are Rs 144.910 billion which includes Rs 115.520 billion of Revenue and Rs 29.390 billion of capital receipts.
He said that the federal receipts estimates are Rs 111.390 billion including Rs. 83 billion on account of share of the Federal divisible pool. He said that Rs 12 billion grant on account of NFC-Award 2009 and Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan while revenue to be received from provincial resources are Rs 4.130 billion.
He said that the budget deficit for the year 2010-11 is Rs 7.10 billion which will be bridged through provincial resources.
‘I acknowledge the vision and the leadership qualities of Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani, under whose direction, we have succeeded to get Rs 120 billion on account of Gas Development Surcharge (GDS) under NFC-Award 2009 and Aghaz-i-Haqooq Balochistan which would now be paid to province of Balochistan in equal instalments of Rs 12 billion for five years’, he added.
While terming NFC-Award 2009 a historical achievement, he said that the new formula has enhanced the resources of Balochistan province from Rs 30 billion to Rs 83 billion.
‘Federal Government has also agreed to provide arrears of GDS since 1954 worth Rs 120 billion and Rs 10 billion respectively under Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan Package and NFC Award 2009’, he added.
Gailoo said that the Provincial Government during coming financial year has allocated an amount of approximately Rs 10 billion to strengthen law- enforcing agencies in their efforts to maintain peace and tranquility in the province.
He said that provincial government has decided to raise the basic pay salary of the uniformed personnel of police Levies and Balochistan Constabulary by 100 per cent.
Similarly, approximately 600 personnel of Balochistan Constabulary has also been regularised who were appointed by the Federal Government in a similar development project.
Referring to education, he said that the literacy rate in Balochistan is only 34 per cent compared to the national level of 52 per cent.
He said that the female literacy rate in rural areas of the province is only 10 per cent and it should be alarming for us to know that out of 1,100,000 primary school going children in rural areas of Balochistan, some 700, 000 lack access to the schools.
He said that ,therefore, the Balochistan government has decided to provide an amount of Rs one billion to boost up the facilities in educational institutions.