The Balochistan Cabinet on Thursday approved provincial budget for Fiscal Year 2014-15 with total volume of Rs 215.713 billion. The meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch at CM Secretariat, discussed the salient features of the second budget of the coalition government of PML-N, National Party and PkMAP. The total outlay of the Budget for FY 2014-15 is Rs 215.713 billion compared to the current year's Rs 198.395 billion budget.
The Finance Department sources told APP that Rs 50.742 billion have been earmarked in FY 2014-15 for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) while the same was Rs 43.913 billion in FY 2013-14. Giving details, they said Rs 164.971 billion have been allocated for the non-development expenditures. In line with their commitment, the coalition government allocated huge amount for the education and health sectors. With 16 percent increase, Rs 28,987.226 million earmarked for education sector while Rs 14.148 billion allocated for health sector, 26 percent more than that of FY 2013-14.
Similarly, as many as 3,925 new jobs have been created in the provincial departments, while compensation for the victims of terrorism has been raised from Rs 2 million to Rs 4 million. They said 10 percent increase in the pension and salaries of the government employees has also been suggested in the next year's budget. As an austerity measures, ban has also been imposed on the foreign tours of the government employees and lawmakers on government expenses, besides purchase of luxurious vehicles.
Sizable amount has been earmarked for the improvement of law and order, agriculture, livestock, fisheries, energy and other production sectors in the budget for Fiscal Year 2014-15. After the deliberations and briefing on the budget, Chief Minister Balochistan, CM Advisor on Finance, Mir Khalid Langov and Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad signed the budget document.