Gilgit-Baltistan govt presents Rs20.48 billion interim budget, seeks Rs258.95 billion from Centre

The Gilgit-Baltistan government presented a Rs20.478 billion interim budget for the first quarter of FY2026-27 and renewed its request for a Rs258.95 billion federal allocation for the full fiscal year.

Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Mohammad Ali Akhtar presented the three-month budget in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly during a session chaired by Speaker Imran Nadeem Shigri.

Akhtar said the interim plan was designed to keep government operations running until the full FY2026-27 budget is presented.

He said the federal government had allocated Rs158.54 billion to Gilgit-Baltistan for the current fiscal year, below the Rs258.95 billion sought by the regional government.

The budget includes Rs15.22 billion for salaries and allowances and Rs1.38 billion for administrative and operational expenses.

The government has proposed Rs15 billion for the wheat subsidy programme, with Rs3 billion expected in revenue from wheat sales.

Other proposed allocations include Rs880 million for disaster management and emergency response, Rs770 million for heavy machinery and Rs450 million for heavy drones.

A further Rs275.8 million has been set aside under the Prime Minister’s grant for rehabilitation of flood-affected areas.

The budget also includes Rs430 million for urban development, Rs300 million for the Health Endowment Fund, Rs292 million for local councils and municipal committees, Rs138 million for the Waste Management Company and Rs100 million for ambulances.

The government has set a non-tax revenue target of Rs6.98 billion and expects available resources to increase by Rs12.24 billion during the fiscal year.