QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Friday passed the provincial budget of Rs900 billion, including Rs321 billion for the Public Sector Deve­lopment Programme (PSDP), for the financial year 2024-25, without any opposition despite some cut motions being included in the agenda, no member moved a cut motion on the demands for grants.

Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani presented a total of 93 grant demands to the house during the session, which was presided over by Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai. Of the 93 grant demands, 53 grants were for non-development expenditures and 40 for development spending.

Although the opposition leader, Mir Younis Aziz Zehri, and other opposition members were present in the house, no one moved a cut motion. Some opposition members, including the opposition leader, had submitted cut motion notices, but none of them moved any, resulting in all grant demands being approved without opposition.

Mir Asadullah Baloch, President of the Balochistan National Party-Awami, who had boycotted the finance minister’s budget speech on June 21, was absent from the house on Friday as well.

Rs321bn for uplift projects

The government has allocated Rs321 billion for development projects, including new and ongoing schemes.

In the non-development budget, the highest allocation of Rs92.6 billion was made for secondary education, followed by Rs84.80bn for retired employees’ pensions and benefits, and Rs51.33bn for police and Balochistan Constabulary.

The house also approved Rs37.81 billion for local bodies and urban development, Rs22.71bn for the Balochistan Levies force, Rs67.26bn for the health sector, and Rs22.81bn for colleges and higher education.

Additionally, the house approved Rs13.50bn for capital investment and Rs17.2 billion for communication works and physical planning for the next financial year.

‘Ready for talks’

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, speaking in the assembly after the passage of the provincial budget, said the government is ready to hold talks with everyone.

He said the issue of peace and security in Balochistan is a serious concern and that any conflicts must be resolved through dialogue.

“The state and government are ready to talk to everyone, but will not allow any armed group impose its ideology at gunpoint.”

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2024