QUETTA: The Balochistan government plans to spend Rs321.1 billion on development during the next fiscal year, including Rs73.3bn in federally funded projects.

Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani, while presenting the next financial year’s budget in the provincial assembly, said that 2,404 new and 3,976 ongoing development schemes will be included in the budget for fiscal year 2024-25.

He said the total development budget of the province is Rs219.561 billion, which will be spent on new and ongoing development schemes. He added that foreign project assistance is expected to be Rs28.2bn.

Mr Nosherwani said the communication sector has been given top priority in the budget and an amount of Rs50.228bn has been allocated for it. In the 2023-24 ADP, Rs59.758bn was allocated for the communication sector.

For the irrigation sector, which is the second highest priority in the next year’s ADP, Rs28.60bn has been allocated, while school education-related development schemes have also been included in the priority list and this sector will have an allocation of Rs26.424bn in the next financial year.

He said that more funds have been allocated for the health sector which have been increased by 45 per cent.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2024