The Balochistan Assembly on Sunday approved the provincial budget for the financial year 2026-27, totaling Rs1,189 billion. The budget was passed during the closing sitting of the assembly, which commenced 40 minutes behind schedule under the chairmanship of Speaker Captain (retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai. Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Ahmed Nosherwani presented the demands for grants, which were subsequently approved by the House.
Budget Breakdown: Non-Development and Development Expenditure
Of the total outlay, Rs797.808 billion was allocated for non-development expenditure through 53 demands for grants, while Rs291 billion was set aside for development expenditure under 45 demands. No cut motions were moved by the opposition, allowing all demands to pass smoothly.
Under non-development expenditure, the assembly approved Rs88.6 million for state trading, Rs12.4 billion for capital investment, Rs6.53 billion for the Services and General Administration, Rs3.31 billion for the Excise, Taxation and Anti-Narcotics Department, and Rs100 billion for employees' retirement benefits. Major allocations included Rs87.18 billion for police and the Balochistan Constabulary, Rs86.77 billion for the health sector, Rs35.07 billion for school education (male section), Rs29.72 billion for school education (female section), Rs28.71 billion for colleges, higher and technical education, and Rs41.38 billion for local government.
Sectoral Allocations in Non-Development Budget
The house also approved Rs5.53 billion for the Labour and Manpower Department, Rs6.39 billion for Social Welfare and Special Education, Rs2.62 billion for Sports and Youth Affairs, Rs2.38 billion for Population Welfare, Rs3.76 billion for Forest and Wildlife, Rs2.27 billion for Fisheries and Coastal Development, Rs1.81 billion for Culture, Tourism and Archives, and Rs1.71 billion for Religious Affairs.
Development Expenditure Approvals
Development expenditure approvals included Rs27.06 billion for communications, works and housing, Rs12.75 billion for irrigation, Rs11.60 billion for planning and development, Rs11.54 billion for school education, Rs11.67 billion for the Home Department, Rs8.49 billion for local government and rural development, and Rs7.56 billion for urban planning and development. The house also approved Rs7.61 billion for public health engineering, Rs6.21 billion for health, Rs5.38 billion for energy, Rs4.25 billion for industries and commerce, Rs4.45 billion for agriculture cooperatives, Rs1.72 billion for the PDMA, and Rs15.94 billion for science and information technology.
