GILGIT: The Gilgit Baltistan (GB) budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 (FY22) with a total outlay of Rs105.92 billion was presented on Saturday.
Presenting the budget proposals in GB Assembly, Finance Minister Javed Ali Manwa said that Rs51.7 billion have been allocated for non-development and more than Rs44.22 billion for developmental expenditures.
He said that the budget outlay is 54 percent higher than the budget of previous year. He said more than Rs48.45 million have been allocated in the budget for betterment of the health sector, Rs4.62 billion for physical planning and housing while Rs3.96 billion are allocated for the works department.
The GB finance minister also announced a 10 percent increase in the salaries of government employees and minimum wage for workers was set at Rs20,000.
The finance minister announced that out of the total budget outlay Rs44.2 billion has been allocated for the development sector, out of which Rs18 billion are proposed for Annual Development Program (ADP) of the regional government whereas Rs20 billion have been set aside for projects under the federal PSDP. The remaining Rs6 billion would be spent on other PSDP projects during next fiscal year.
According to the minister, the total non-development budget of GB for next the financial year would be Rs51.7 billion. “The non-development budget for the coming fiscal year is also 47 per cent higher as compared to the allocation of the outgoing fiscal year (FY21),” he added.
It may be recalled here that the federal government in its budget FY22 had also increased the non-development budget of GB to Rs47 billion from Rs32 billion for FY21.
The regional government has also allocated Rs8 billion for wheat subsidy which is also up by 33 percent as compared to the allocation of FY21’s allocation.
The finance minister announced Rs4.5 billion for 115 new schemes in the education department apart from the regular budget allocation of Rs347 million for the department in FY22.
Similarly, the minister also announced that Rs4.1 billion have been allocated for 97 new schemes in the health department for next financial year apart from the regular budget of Rs601 million for the department. The regular budget for the department has been increased by 67 percent. Besides, Rs1.5 billion have been allocated for reforms in the health sector.
Interestingly, Rs5 billion has been set aside for the Chief Minister’s Special Interventions for Underdeveloped Areas.
Moreover, in the major special allocations from regular budget, the Works Department will get Rs1.2 billion, with a 111 percent increase, the Power Department has been given Rs 1.3billion, an increase of 138 percent, whereas the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Department has been given Rs760 million, an increase of 104 per cent.
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