43 bn rupees GB budget presented, 70% non-developmental expenditures, including wheat subsidy
GILGIT: Senior Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, Haji Muhammad Akbar Taban on Friday presented Rs 43.7851 billion provincial budget for fiscal year 2016-17.
The new fiscal budget includes Rs 25.361 billion of non development expenditures and Rs 12.38 billion of Annual Development Program, and allocation for food subsidies is 6.450 billion.
A 10 percent increase has been made in salaries of provincial government employees and pensioners, and 4,100 new jobs in government departments will be created with the proposals in the new budget.
The Public Sector Development Program has outlay of Rs 2 billion including schemes for education, health, law and order, irrigation and agriculture, communication, infrastructure, water and energy sectors.
A sum of Rs 949,670,000 was allocated for education. Funds were suggested for construction of new buildings of schools, provision of basic necessary facilities to them including drinking water, walls and provision of furniture while the up gradation of schools was among the program.
Health sector would receive a sum for over Rs 819,362,000 for its development. Under the new health budget, new health centers will be established while already hospitals and basic health centers will receive machinery, medicines and other necessary facilities.
A sum of over Rs 466,217,000 was allocated for livestock and agriculture sector, for internal security and prison a sum of Rs 433,188,000 was allocated.
For the sectors of information, services, administration and cabinet a sum of Rs 3,562,800 was allocated.
For power sector a sum of Rs 623,033,000 was allocated, which is 30 percent of total development budget. For law and justice a sum of Rs 112,139 was allocated. For excise and taxation a sum of Rs. 40,300,000 was allocated. For physical Planning and housing Rs 468,661,000.
However for irrigation sector 49,631,000, for agriculture, animal husbandry sector a sum of Rs 466,217,000, for forestry, wildlife ,environment sector 293,075,000, for youth affairs, tourism, sport and culture 557,572,000.
For mineral and industries Rs 228,022,000, for LG and RD a sum of Rs 400,000,000 was allocated.
It was PML(N) government second budget in Gilgit-Baltistan. APP
This is quite sufficient amount and it should be used effectively in various sectors of development. However, if there will be corruption at different levels then development is an illusion or a mirage.If there is corruption from higher to lower level then budget in trillion would be useless.Anyhow,people having authority should be sincere with people and committed to their duties.