APP
GILGIT
Gilgit Baltistan Assembly here Wednesday unanimously approved Rs62,95,77,35,000 budget for financial year 2019-20 for which Rs17billion were allocated for development projects and Rs37,71,27,47,000 billion for non-development budget in the province.
The members of treasury and opposition benches made detailed discussion on the budget before unanimously passing it.
Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan,Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman said Gilgit Baltistan was a beautiful territory and huge development funds were allocated for socio-economic development sector including health, education and generation of employment opportunities. He said funds were allocated for feasibility studies of first Women Cadet College in Gilgit Baltistan and 300-bed hospital at Baltistan. The Chief Minister said Rs200 million were earmarked for completion of under-construction 200 bed hospital at Diamir, adding capital hospital status was given to DHQ hospital Gilgit and status of Skardu and Chalas hospitals has been upgraded to level of divisional hospitals.
Hafeezur Rehman said GB Government has allocated a huge amount of Rs4 billion for provision of employment opportunities to people and under this amount, interest free loans from Rs5lakh to Rs1.2million would be provided to youth and people for promotion of livestock, dairy farming, and fisheries in the province.
The CM said health Insurance Scheme for 54,000 employees and their families have been introduced in GB under which free treatment would be provided up to four lakh families in any top hospital of the country.
PC-I of BanoGah road would be prepared by the GB Government after this project was excluded from Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) to facilitate people, adding PC-I of Nagar Highway is also being prepared.
The Chief Minister said despite political differences, respect should be given to political leadership of the country and requested members of treasury and opposition benches not to use indecent language against each other’s political leadership.
The CM vowed to take opposition along in matters of national and province importance and rights of GB would be protected.
Opposition leader Captain Retd Shafiullah Khan remarked that members have more awareness of their constituencies’ problems than officers and their suggestions should be given priorities.
Agriculture Minister, Janbaz Khan offered provision of Rs50 million for construction of Batogah road and requested CM GB to provide Rs20million for the same to help thousands of people.
Captain Reted Sikandar Khan congratulated GB Government for presenting people-friendly and goal-oriented budget that would expedite pace of development.
Finance Minister Akbar Taban thanked the opposition leader for appreciating the budget, saying maximum relief was provided to all segment of the society in the budget 2019-20.
