After multiple delays, Balochistan govt to unveil Rs612b ‘balanced’ budget today

• The budget session has been summoned today.
  
• Total outlay of Balochistan budget more than Rs620bn.
• According to sources, no new tax will be imposed in the budget.
  

QUETTA: Balochistan Finance Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran will present the province’s budget for 2022-23 in the Balochistan Assembly today (Tuesday) after the session was postponed twice as some details could not be finalised.

The provincial cabinet approved the budget proposals for the next fiscal year with Rs191 billion allocated for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The Balochistan government, led by the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), is set to unveil its “balanced” and “pro-people” budget for the upcoming fiscal year, with a total outlay of more than Rs612 billion.

According to sources in the provincial finance ministry, no new tax will be imposed in the budget.

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The government is expected to announce over Rs250 billion in the development budget under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and the outlay of non-developmental funds for FY23 is likely to be more than Rs350 billion.

According to sources in the finance department, more than 5,000 jobs will be created in the new budget, while a major chunk of the budget will be allocated for health, education, agriculture, food, rural development, communication, law and order, irrigation, clean drinking water and other sectors.

Read more: Provincial budgets dash federal govt's hopes to squeeze budget deficit in FY23

Besides this, more funds will be allocated for clean drinking water projects, while education, health and law and order are also among the priorities of the government.