News
Balochistan Assembly session : Rs 22.85 billion supplementary budget approved
By SafiUllah Shahwani
QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Sunday approved the provincial supplementary budget of Rs 22.85 billion for 2014-15. The session of the assembly began two hours later than the scheduled time on Sunday with Speaker Assembly Jan Muhammad Jamali in chair. Minority member Ghansham Das also took oath as Member of the Provincial Assembly. Speaker Jan Muhammad Jamali administered oath to the newly elected minority member. The minority seat had fallen vacant, of late, after the assassination of Handry Massieh. Speaking on the occasion, Opposition member Engineer Zamrak Khan Achakzai said that all the parties in Assembly believed in democracy and democracy believes in the uniform rights of all, adding that in democratic set-ups no revengeful acts are taken on the basis of certain biases. He said that this is also a part of the manifesto of each party here. He said that in the last year’s budget, they were ignored. He said that no development works had been carried out in the opposition member constituencies. He said that neither Opposition opposed the budget session nor tore apart the budget papers but intended to present its reservations to the government in a civilized way and therefore, it is incumbent upon government to heed to the reservations of the government. He said that 47 percent of the funds were not utilized in the previous budget, adding that we didn’t level charges rather engage in constructive criticism. He said that Opposition has also knocked the doors of court against the government behavior adding that government should make it clear as to how the deficit of 15 billion would be fulfilled. He said that they have evidence against government and would present them before the House. Speaking on the occasion, Haji Mir Ghulam Dastagir Badini said that for accomplishment of the development projects, he repeatedly visited Planning and Development and Finance Departments. Terming the budget as masses-friendly, he said that the development process should be initialized sooner than later so that the funds are not lapsed. He said that his proposed projects were not included in the budget which frustrated him, adding that being coalition partners we should have trust in each other. He said that 4 billion each had been allocated for Cadet colleges in Kohlu and Pishin while the Cadet College Nushki, which is under construction for so many years, was ignored and added that on the other hand, the District Health Officer and Medical Officer Nushki Hospital had been suspended. “Reason thereof was assigned that they were not present on the station while they had come to Quetta for some necessary official business,” he said and added junior doctors had been appointed in their place. He staged a walk out in protest on all the said issues and was later brought into Assembly by members and Chief Minister assured to resolve all his reservations. Speaking on the occasion, PML-N member Samina Khan congratulated Chief Minister for presenting a balanced budget and said that it is a masses-friendly budget which focuses on health, education, law and order and other public issues. She said that five thousand students will be given scholarships through Balochistan Endowment Fund which is a step in the right direction. Later, the session was adjourned until 11 pm Monday.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk