Balochistan’s tax-free, Rs 164 billion budget, including a development outlay of Rs 31.2 billion and foreign assistance of Rs 2.2 billion, with a Rs 6.7 billion deficit for the fiscal year of 2011-12 was presented in the Balochistan Assembly session here on Tuesday. Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd presented the budget in the assembly with Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani and Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani also present in the house.
The total receipts in the budget have been estimated at Rs 157.843 billion, with Rs 127.055 billion as revenue receipts and Rs 30.788 billion as capital receipts. The highest allocation of revenue expenditure, Rs 19.256 billion, was made to Education Affairs and Services, while Economic Affairs would get Rs 18.352 billion next fiscal year, twice as much as the current fiscal year. Rs 17.206 billion were earmarked for General Public Service and Rs 11.539 for Public Order Safety Affairs.
The province allocated Rs 8.869 billion to Health Affairs and Services, Rs 3.448 billion to Recreation, Culture and Religion, Rs 7.079 billion to Housing and Community Amenities, Rs 998 million to Social Protection and Rs 3.816 billion to Debt Servicing (interest). The government earmarked Rs 42.644 billion for capital expenditure, including Rs 12.1 billion for public debt (to be discharged).
