Balochistan govt believes in financial discipline: Kurd
13 June, 2012
QUETTA: Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd said the Balochistan government believed in financial discipline to move forward and had allocated appropriate funds for law and order, education, health and energy sectors. The minister said this while addressing a post-budget briefing, flanked by provincial Finance Secretary Dostain Jamaldini on Tuesday. He said Rs 179.93 billion Balochistan budget for fiscal year 2012-13 included Rs 107.28 billion of ongoing expenditures, Rs 36.83 billion of investment expenditures and Rs 35.81 billion of development expenditures. "Our government has done a lot in the past four years for the province," he said. He dispelled the impression that MPA funds had been increased, adding that MPAs were being given Rs 250 million to Rs 300 million after identifying development schemes in their respective constituencies. "The schemes would also be scrutinised for being on merit before releasing funds," he said and offered media persons to visit all districts of the province to witness the development schemes. Responding to a query about the expenditure on deployment of the Frontier Corps in Balochistan, the minister said the government had allocated Rs 210 million for the Balochistan FC in respect of fuel and patrolling expenditures to maintain law and order in the province. He said heavy funds had been released to the Balochistan FC Headquarters so that it could play its role in providing security and protection to the people of the province. "Rs 13.53 billon has been allocated for law and order in Balochistan's new budget. Police budget has been increased by 19.6 percent, Balochistan Constabulary 13 percent and Levies force budget 16 percent," he added. Kurd said that for procurement of equipment, vehicles and weapons for law enforcement agencies, the budget had been increased by 50 percent in comparison with the previous year. When the minister's attention was drawn towards the dilapidated condition of roads and their poor construction, he conceded that roads in Balochistan, including those in Quetta, were in bad condition and needed prompt attention. He held WASA, Sui Southern Gas and other utility providers responsible for the poor condition of roads in Quetta, saying that these organisations had been digging up roads to lay their pipelines, thus badly damaging them. "The issue of roads and sewerage system has been raised in a cabinet meeting with Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani. Construction of roads and sewerage system would be completed by November this year," he assured. Speaking about the education sector, he said that 85 percent of the education budget was allocated for release of salaries to teachers and other staff. He, however, regretted that teachers in Balochistan used to close schools and take to streets to stage rallies and observe strikes to press their "illegitimate demands". "We condemn this practice since it is damaging our education," he said. Special attention had been given on academic activities, convening of seminars and timely publication of textbooks in new budget, he added. The minister said that power plants in Balochistan, including Uch Power Plant and Habibullah Coastal Power Plant, had been generating 1,450MW. End.
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