QUETTA: Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Ahmed Nosherwani is set to present the budget for the next financial year, 2024-25, totaling over Rs800 billion, on June 22. The announcement was made by finance department officials on Saturday.
For the upcoming fiscal year, Balochistan is expected to receive Rs667.5 billion from the federal government under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, a notable increase from the Rs493.70 billion allocated in the current year. Additionally, the province will gain Rs20.55 billion from oil and gas royalties in 2024-25.
During a consultative meeting with coalition partners and opposition members, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti emphasized the importance of reaching a consensus on the budget. This marks the first time in Balochistan’s history that both coalition and opposition members are actively involved in budget discussions. The meeting was also attended by Balochistan Governor Jaffar Khan Mandokhail and Provincial Assembly Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai.
Participants expressed confidence in the chief minister’s leadership and endorsed the proposed budget and governance reforms. They agreed to maintain the scale of development projects and ensure their timely implementation. CM Bugti highlighted that health and education would be top priorities, with proposals to increase the education budget by 300% and the health budget by 100%.
To facilitate the timely execution of development projects, the tendering process will begin in the first month of the new fiscal year, immediately after Eid. CM Bugti stated that responsible officers would oversee the field operations of these projects to enhance accountability. Efforts are also underway to strengthen the anti-corruption establishment and activate the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team for better governance.
