Balochistan budget to be announced today

Balochistan’s coalition government will present its first annual budget for the fiscal year 2008-09 today envisaging a total volume amounting to about Rs70 billion with Rs12 billion development budget and over Rs45 billion non-development budget, officials in the provincial finance department unveiled while talking to newsmen.

The provincial budget 2008-09 will have an estimated deficit of lesser than Rs 10 billion, they said, adding that Rs2.5 billion to Rs3 billion are being allocated for increasing 20 percent in the basic salaries and pensions of the provincial government employees.

They further disclosed that the budget 2008-09 will be “tax free budget” and the government has given its top-most priority in the budget on development and improvement of education, health, water supply and road sectors in the province.

The provincial cabinet meeting has been convened today at 12:30 p.m. and the participants of the meeting will approve the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2008-09.

Balochistan finance minister Asim Kurd Gailu will present the budget at sharp 6:00 p.m. in Balochistan Assembly hall in its first budget session.

The session will be devoted for presenting the provincial budget 2008-09 and supplementary budget 2007-08. The debate and discussions on the budget will be held from Tuesday (June 24) to Saturday (June 28).