Rs 52.3 billion earmarked for Gilgit-Baltistan development: Gilani

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday said socio-economic development of Gilgit-Baltistan was a priority of the government and an amount of Rs 52.3 billion has been earmarked in the annual development programme (ADP) for 563 schemes.
The Prime Minister, who is also the Chairman of Gilgit-Baltistan Council addressing the second Budget Session of Council here at the PM House, said a considerable amount of development funds has been provided to the government by the federal government.
He said the overall size of ongoing ADP projects in Gilgit-Baltistan (comprising 563 schemes) was about Rs 52.3 billion, while projects worth Rs 13.2 billion were being funded through Federal PSDP. He said an allocation of Rs 6.076 billion has been made for GB government over and above the PSDP allocation of Rs 1.58 billion for the current financial year.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani told the meeting attended by Minister in-charge, GB Council Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, Vice Chairman and Governor Pir Karam Ali Shah, Chief Minister Syed Mehdi Shah and members of the Council, that the GB government was fully autonomous in running its affairs.
He said the people of GB had their own governor, chief minister and an assembly with powers to legislate on scores of subjects. They have their own judiciary with their Supreme Appellate Court having original jurisdiction. Prime Minister Gilani said introduction of income tax in GB would be an important step towards financial autonomy through mobilisation of domestic resources.
The GB Council has been assigned legislative and executive powers over 53 subjects. He said both the GB government and the council, remaining within their respective domains, need to work in close co-ordination and complete harmony to ensure the welfare of the people of area.
He said the Council and the government needed to jointly chalk out policies and plans in the fields of Minerals, Forest, Tourism and Energy to tap the resources of GB to the fullest extent. PM Gilani said GB had vast potential in power generation, tourism, mines and minerals. The mega hydro-power projects such as Diamer-Basha Dam were extremely vital for country's energy and food security.
The dam, on completion, will have the capacity to generate 4500 MW of electricity and store 8.1 MAF of water. He said the project would generate vast opportunities of employment for the people of GB and its multiple benefits for economy could not be quantified.
He said the construction of Diamer-Basha dam occupied central place in government's efforts to find a long-term solution to the problem of energy deficit in the country. Gilani said the government also planned to initiate work on Bunji Dam with a power generation capacity of 11,000 MW. Apart from those mega hydro projects, work on different small hydro power projects was also under way, he added.
He said China was Pakistan's major ally and an important trade partner. He said the trade with China had been adversely affected due to submersion of a part of Korakoram Highway under Attaabad Lake. "We are working to develop an alternate artery not only to revive the quantum of trade with China to its previous level but also to raise it even further."
He said political and administrative autonomy was a long standing demand of people of GB, and added that it was democracy only that resolved the age-old problems by addressing their grievances and accommodating their demands. Gilani said the government of Pakistan People's Party had done what political party having two-thirds majority in parliament could not do.
He mentioned the restoration of Constitution to its original form, devolution of powers under the 18th Constitutional Amendment to the federating units, seventh NFC Award, renaming of NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, GB Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009.
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani earlier also administered oath of new advisors to Chairman GB Council. Advisors include Professor Ghulam Hussain Saleem Ebadat Ali and Attaullah Khan. He congratulated the advisors to Chairman, GB Council, on taking oath of office and hoped they would discharge their responsibility with sincerity.