QUETTA: Provincial ministers informed the Balochistan Assembly on Wednesday that the electricity, water, education, health and agriculture sectors would be given priority in the next financial year’s budget of the province so that basic amenities could be provided to the people.

Dr Hamid Khan Achakzai, Jaffar Khan Mandokhel, Nawab Muhammad Khan Shahwani, Mir Mujibur Rahman and Mir Abdul Khaliq Lango said development funds would be spent on building small dams and promoting education, health, agriculture and water supply.

During the pre-budget discussion, members from the treasury benches said people were facing many problems related to medical care, education and drinking water besides excessive loadshedding.

They alleged that the problems were a result of embezzlement of funds by the ministers of the previous governments.

This government had decided that there was no room for corruption and all funds would be utilised impartially for the betterment of people, they said.

Opposition members Sardar Abdur Rahman Khetran and Maulana Gul Muhammad Domarh rejected the government’s claims and alleged that ministers were involved in malpractices and the funds in their constituencies were being used through unelected people, which paved the way for corruption.

They said the opposition members were neglected in the allocation of funds in the public sector development programme under a discriminatory policy, which was condemnable.

Dr Achakzai and Maulana Domarh traded charges of corruption against each other during the discussion.

Rahila Durani, a member of the panel of chairpersons, presided over the session.

The house admitted an adjournment motion of Mir Asim Kurd on the law and order situation and it will be discussed on April 30.

The session was adjourned till Saturday.