QUETTA: Provincial Finance Minsiter Asim Kurd Galloo announced Rupees 179.931 billion tax free budget for the financial year 2012-13 here Monday afternoon. Announcing the budget in Balochistan Assembly Finance Minister said despite being election year our government has decided to present a balanced budget.We have done our best for improving good governance by setting aside politics.
He said Rupees 144.819 billion are for non development budget.
These included revenue expenditures of Rupees 1-7.280 billion and capital expenditure of Rupees 36.832 billion. He said during the coming year development budget communication, water resources, education, health, Public Health Engineering and energy sectors have been given priority.
He said Rupees 35.819 billion are for Public Sector Development Progrmame (PSDP) expenditures which has no example in Balochistan history. In fact all previous records have been broken.
We do admit there is lack of infrastructure and it needs a lot to improve. Another big challenge facing the province is poverty.
He said 729 ongoing and 732 new schemes would be included in PSDP.
Asim Kurd said seventh National Finance Commission (NFC) Award has a historical importance for Federation and all the provinces. Under this award Federation keeping problems of backward provinces, Baluchistan’s recovery increased to Rupees 83 billion in 2010-11from Rupees 54.8 billion during 2009- 10. During the coming financial year 2012-13 this would be increased to Rupees 114.21 billion.
He said due to our efforts arrears of Gas development Surcharge from 1954 to 2003 amounting to Rupees 120 billion was being paid by the Federation at the rate of Rupees 12 billion annually.
He said Central Government under Aghaz Huqooq Balochistan and 7 th NFC award has promised to clear this arrear. No doubt, he added Centre has strived a lot to resolve our financial problems.
He said elected democratic provincial government following new elections would be bound to secure more rights of the province and its people and revolve a better strategy for 8 th NFC award. Finance minister said provincial administration cannot run till such time when there is positive political balance. Government can pay attention on social and economic problems when there is willingness of all concerned.
Balochistan Chief Minsiter Nawab Aslam Raisani since assuming power issued orders for holding talks with all key leaders. For this all cases against political leadership and workers were abolished. All arrested political workers were released.
FC check posts form different parts of the province were removed. Besides taking up cases of missing persons with federal government, it also prepared a list. With the result nearly 150 people were recovered.
Efforts were underway for release of remaining persons.
Provincial government was extending full cooperation with the Supreme Court and Commission in this regard.
He said Chief Minister Nawab Raisani with positive role of Governor Magsi and cooperation o f Cabinet started contacts with exiled political leaders so that they could be agreed for political talks and the province could be put on road to prosperity.
It was being done under parliamentary ambit. He said nature has gifted Balochistan with a large coastal belt.
If sea treasure is fully benefitted, our sea resources not only enough for Balochistan for meeting requirements of entire country and would also be a big source of saving foreign exchange. Owing to distant place we have been unable to fully benefit from these resources and people in these areas could not be provided good and better facilities.
In view of this our government though its revolutionary steps announced to make Gwadar winter capital of Balochistan.
He when this decision was announced several critics were insisting owing to billions of Rupees expenditures this dream perhaps may not become reality But only Rupees 7.5 million were incurred on shifting provincial capital to Gwadar.
