QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly passed on Wednesday a Rs229.67 billion budget for the year 2015-16 with Rs175.16bn being allocated for non-development expenditure and Rs54.50bn for development works.

Adviser to Chief Minister on Finance Mir Khaliq Lango presented one by one 54 demands for grants which were approved by the house which had met with acting Speaker Mir Quddus Bizenjo in the chair.

Opposition members did not table any cut motion.

The allocations for non-development and development expenditures include Rs25.11bn for secondary education, Rs22.76bn for economic affairs, Rs16.11bn for public loan, Rs15.48bn for health, Rs14.69bn for public administration, Rs14.33bn for energy, Rs13.6bn for police, Rs12bn for pension, Rs10bn for education, Rs8.26bn for residential community facility, Rs7.46bn for rural development, Rs6.80bn for agriculture, Rs4.59bn for environmental protection, Rs4.35bn for state trading, Rs5.78bn for Levies, Rs4.09bn for Balochistan Constabulary, Rs7.89bn for civil works, Rs3.05bn for natural calamity, relief and incidents, Rs2.81bn for livestock, Rs1.39bn for mineral resources and Rs1.11bn each for industries and irrigation.

In reply to a point of order by Yasmin Lehri, Chief Minister Malik Baloch said that Obaidullah Babat, adviser on forests and livestock, had tendered an apology for his remarks about women’s election and now the matter should have come to an end. He said Mr Babat had made those remarks in a lighter vein, adding that all women were respectable to them.

Female lawmakers in the house had protested against Mr Babat’s remarks the other day that women candidates won in general elections without making any struggle.

Ms Lehri had raised the issue on a point of order and other women members in the house supported her, forcing Mr Babat to tender apology.

The session was adjourned till Thursday.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play