QUETTA, Jun 28 (APP): Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfaraz Bugti on Friday said government has decided to adopt austerity measures and diminish unnecessary expenditures to ensure that public money is spent on the welfare of an ordinary man.
As part of long-term strategy, government envisages to increase its revenue in order to enhance the development budget of the province which is 43 percent of the country.
“Drastic measures were being put in place to improve the service delivery and good governance,” he said while addressing the Balochistan Assembly session held Speaker Captain Retired Abuld Khaliq Achakzai in chair.
Government plan about PSDP, he expressed government resole to spend Rs 220 billion on the uplift of the entire province.
Giving his insight on issues face by the people of Quetta, CM said, the solution lies in urbanization.
“Cities including the provincial capital will be expanded besides developing the new cities to accommodate the scattered and deprived population of the province.
Giving credit to the coalition government and state machinery, he noted that first time in the history of Balochsitan as many as 70 percent of approved development schemes are part of the provincial PSDP 2024-25.
The Planning and Development Department have been asked to complete the technical approval of the remaining 30 percent schemes by July 20 so that implementation of the same may be completes at earliest.
“July first 2024 was the date for first Tender of the project after which our members of the assembly and government machinery will be accountable to public for execution and timely completion of standard projects.
A proper mechanism has been devised to review the progress of the development projects after every fifteen days. The parliamentarians and secretaries of concerned departments will be in project execution field to ensure the quality of the project and their completion within the stipulated time.
CM Bugti noted that a delegation led by him also comprising senior ministers had proposed a total of 79 provincial level projects for the uplift of Balochistan.
However, the CM said that out of which only two were approved which laudable as after 18th amendment, it is the first time when the federal government has agreed to finance provincial level schemes.
Lauding the support of the Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif to the deprived province of the country, the CM noted that the federal government has earmarked a lion’s share for the ongoing mega projects.
Stressing the need for taking collective efforts for bringing about positive reforms in the province he held parliamentarians responsible to put the province on the road to progress by implementing the development schemes on merit.
Terming health, education and improvement in the law and order among top most priorities of the incumbent government, Sarfaraz Bugti said special session of the assembly will be convened to deliberate on the out of box solution on the burning issues facing these three priority sectors.
Supporting his claim, the CM recalled that government has increased education budget by 300 percent for financial year 2024-25 as compared to previous fiscal years. The move aimed to provide quality education to youth of the province.
Besides, 28 percent budget has been increased for the higher education and released grants to all universities facing financial crunch for last couple of years.
About law and order, he said government believes in resolving the conflicts through dialogues.
“We are ready to hold dialogues with those who want to join mainstream warning dire consequences to those who are involved in the killing of innocent citizen. Writ of the government will be established at any cost,” he vowed.
Law enforcement agencies including CTD will be strengthening to ensure that lives and prosperities of the public is safe.
He further said the government has increased health budget by 126 percent budget to provide a best medical facilities to the masses.
Through public private partnership, three big hospitals of the Quetta have been converted into semi-autonomous model.