Rs164bn Balochistan budget unveiled

QUETTA: Balochistan coalition government on Tuesday unveiled Rs 164.447 billion tax free budget for fiscal year 2011-12 including Rs 31.241 billion of annual development program and foreign assistance program of Rs 2.225 billion with a deficit of Rs 6.604 billion.

Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani presided over the assembly sitting in which Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd Gailo presented the fourth budget.

Delivering his budget speech, the finance minister said the non-development expenditures budget is Rs 133.206 billion including revenue expenditures Rs 90.562 billion and capital expenditures Rs 42.644 billion. He said estimates of receipts from province's own resources Rs 4.851 billion.

Elaborating the details of federal receipts, he said that receipts from divisible pool are Rs 93.255 billion, direct transfer Rs 13.407 billion and others 15.542 billion adding that capital receipts are Rs 30.788 billion. He said that total receipts are estimated at Rs 1576.843 billion for fiscal year 2011-12 with deficit of Rs 6.604 billion.

It has also been advised that all government employees will get a 15% increase in salaries, while it is expected that the pensions of retired employees while be increased by 20%.

"The incumbent Nawab Aslam Raisani government has executed record uplift projects in the province while next budget 2011-12 focuses on infrastructure development," he said adding that the provincial government is facing challenge of poverty for which adequate funds had been earmarked in next fiscal budget. (APP)