QUETTA: The Balochistan government has decided to give importance to revenue-generating sectors in the next budget.

A meeting presided over by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani reviewed budget proposals for the next financial year and implementation of the ongoing development schemes.

The meeting observed that the sectors which had no role in revenue generation received importance as well as huge funds in the past, while revenue-generating departments got lesser funds.

It was pointed out that fishing, tourism, agriculture and mining sectors could earn maximum revenue if the government allocated maximum funds for their development.

Alyani chairs meeting to review proposals for Balochistan budget

At present the province is facing an acute financial crisis. The Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) of Rs82 billion faces a deficit of Rs62bn.

The chief minister said that Balochistan was generating just Rs15bn annually, while it had been paying Rs25bn on account of pension to its employees.

He said the next year’s budget would be better than the current budget.

“Our top priority will be to implement all PSDP projects so the people can benefit from them,” he said.

Mr Alyani asked all departments provide guidelines for PC-1 so that paper work for development schemes should be completed in time.

He said the current development budget of Rs82bn was insufficient.

He said professional and educated youths would get jobs in different departments in the next financial year.

“In the past a few people in the CM secretariat prepared the PSDP, but there will be no interference this time,” he said, adding that the people would see a real change now.

The chief minister said more than 450 development schemes would be completed this year.

Provincial ministers Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, Abdul Rehman Khetran, Arif Khan Mohammad Hassni, Saleem Ahmed Khosa, Zamarak Khan Achakzai, Noor Mohammad, Mohammad Khan Atmakhel, Umar Jamali, Mitha Khan and Abdul Khaliq Hazara and the additional chief secretary for planning and development and secretaries of different departments attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2019