The administration of Balochistan has postponed the presentation of the provincial budget for fiscal year 2023-24 till June 19. The budget was supposed to be announced in the provincial parliament on Friday.
Governor Malik Abul Wali Khan Kakar called the provincial assembly’s budget session for June 19 late on Thursday.
According to sources, the budget announcement date was pushed back because MPAs and ministers from various political parties proposed new development ideas and encouraged the Planning and Development Department to incorporate them in the budget.
“All MPAs from opposition parties, ministers, and even chief minister’s coordinators were making efforts to get the maximum share in the last budget of the current coalition government,” a senior official of the Balochistan government told the news agency, adding that despite Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo’s instruction that maximum funds be allocated for new development schemes, MPAs and ministers were putting pressure for the allocation of funds for ongoing development schemes.
Request of MNAs and Senators of Balochistan
Balochistan’s MNAs and Senators have also requested that their schemes be included in the provincial development program, despite the fact that the chief minister has already stated that the provincial government lacks sufficient funds to include the MNAs’ and Senators’ development plans in the upcoming budget.
According to finance department sources, Finance Minister Zamarak Khan Piralizai will present the budget to the legislature on June 19, unless the schedule changes.
According to sources, the Balochistan budget will be a big deficit budget, with a total outlay of nearly Rs. 700 billion, including Rs. 200 billion for uplift initiatives.
A substantial percentage of the budget will be devoted to non-development expenditures, which will be increased as a result of the provincial government’s plan to raise employee pay by 30 to 35%. Pension rates will be raised as well.
Balochistan would receive Rs. 450 billion as its portion of the National Finance Commission award, and its budget will be based on federal budget data.
According to sources in the finance department, the next year’s budget will have a three-figure gap because the aim for generating provincial resources was not met.
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