QUETTA: Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has said that the federal government has held out the assurance that Balochistan's share in the annual development programme will not be slashed despite the fact that the federal ADP has been curtailed from Rs280 billion to Rs1.80 billion.

Talking to reporters at the Quetta airport upon his arrival from Islamabad on Monday night, he said the province would get its full share of Rs28.8 billion for development projects.

He said the federal government had decided not to curtail Balochistan's share despite the financial crunch because it wanted to complete provincial development projects on time. Referring to various development projects approved by the Central Development Working Party, he said there would be a big improvement in various sectors with the completion of Rs32 billion projects in the province.

He said the CDWP had approved the construction of 200 big and small dams in the province that would bring a green revolution. The chief minister said that two universities would be set up in the province, one each in Turbat and Loralai.

He said that construction of Gwadar Expressway had been approved to link the Gwadar port with the Coastal Highway and other parts of the country.

“I am confident that the federal government will start executing the approved projects as soon as possible,” he said.

In reply to a question, he said there was no plan to rightsize the cabinet because it had been formed in accordance with the size of 'our territory'.

By Our Staff Correspondent