Balochistan to spend Rs51bn on development projects in 2014-15

Balochistan has allocated Rs50.7 billion for next fiscal year’s Annual Development Programme (ADP), an increase of 13 per cent from the last year’s Rs43.91bn.The development budget includes foreign project assistance and identifies “core priority areas” of education, health, power generation, women development, road transport and water supply.

Presenting the budget 2014-15 in the provincial assembly on Thursday, Mir Khalid Langove, finance adviser to the Balochistan chief minister, said the political leadership has brought all stakeholders on the same page to bring about directional changes in the development budget by focusing on social sector and improving productivity.

This would help bridge gaps in current health and education indicators and their targets in the millennium development goals (MDGs), he said.

The government has decided to increase spending on education by 23.09pc, health by 8.63pc, agriculture and power generation by 7pc each, and road transport by 20pc. Mr Langove said the provincial government has “firm commitment to deliver on its promises and would improve the Human Development index (HDI)”.