Finance minister says Rs321 billion allocated for developmental expenses in budget for fiscal year 2024-25 n Rs146.9b earmarked for education, Rs20b for health. Over 3000 new job opportunities included in budget, cabinet told.
QUETTA - The Balochistan’s budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 with a total outlay of Rs930 billion, with Rs25 billion surplus, was presented in the provincial assembly in Quetta on Friday.
Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Noshirwani, while presenting the budget, said Rs609 billion have been allocated for non-development expenditures while Rs321 billion for developmental expenses.
He added Rs146.9 billion have been earmarked for education sector, while Rs20 billion for health.
The finance minister added more than Rs23.8 billion have been placed for the development of the agriculture sector while over one billion rupees for food security.
Mir Shoaib Noshirwani announced an increase of 25% in salaries of government employees from Grade 1 to 16, and 22% for Grade 17 to 22. He also announced 15% increase in pension.
Earlier, Balochistan cabinet on Friday approved the budget proposal for the next financial year 2024-25 in a pre-budget Cabinet meeting at CM House.
The Balochistan cabinet has put the health and education sector on priority in the budget for the next financial year 2024-25.
A finance department official briefed the provincial cabinet that the agriculture, livestock, mineral and mines development projects have been included in the upcoming budget.
The cabinet has also approved new pension contribution scheme and proposed the implementation of the new pension scheme from the financial year 2024-25.
The cabinet was briefed that around 3000 new job opportunities would be included in the budget.
For the first time in the history of Balochistan, 70 percent of the approved development projects have been made part of the budget proposal.
The cabinet has agreed that 100 percent approved development projects would be included in the budget for the next financial year. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti said that the work on the development projects of the new financial year would be started from the first month.
He added that all provincial ministers and assembly members will personally monitor the development projects in their respective departments and constituencies.
Sarfraz Bugti said that no more funds would be released to the departments showing slowness in implementing projects in order to encourage the authorities concerns to complete the approved development projects on time.