'Growth-oriented' Rs62.96b GB budget unveiled.

Byline: Meraj Alam

Gilgit -- With a total outlay of Rs62.9577 billion, budget for the next fiscal year 2019-20 was presented in the GB Legislative Assembly on Thursday. An amount of Rs37.7127 billion has been allocated for non-development and Rs17.40 billion for development projects. An amount Rs7 billion has been earmarked for wheat subsidy in the budget. Amid uproar and protest by opposition parties in Gilgit Baltistan Assembly, GB Finance Minister Haji Akbar Taban presented budget in the assembly.

During his speech, Senior Minister Akbar Taban said special emphasis had been laid upon education and health departments in budget and one billion rupees were allocated for an endowment fund which would be used on treatment of poor patients. According to the minister, increase of 55 and 51 per cent had been made in budgets of works and energy departments, respectively, which was unprecedented in history of the province. At least seven mega energy projects were included in budget that after completion would make GB loadshedding-free. He said majority of development budget of the ongoing fiscal year had been utilised while 100 percent would be spent by the end of current month.

The budget for social sector was also jacked up by...