Balochistan needs inclusive development
Editorial :
Balochistan, the country’s resource-rich province is lagging behind all other provinces in terms of key social indicators including education, health, sanitation, clean drinking water etc. Mismanagement, injudicious distribution of development funds coupled with a lack of political commitments are the underlying reasons behind backwardness of the province.
Track record shows, successive governments have always launched politically motivated development schemes to please their influential supporters. Constituency, individual and political schemes always dominated the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) in every year’s financial budget. Nexus among the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the Planning Development and Finance Department continue to deprive the constituencies of other lawmakers.
Opposition’s constituencies were ignoredÂ
Opposition lawmakers constituencies remained ignored during last three-years of former chief minister, Jam Kamal Khan’s government. Despite agitation in and outside the assembly, the opposition lawmakers were not able to force government to allocate funds for their constituencies.
This is irony of fate that the mandate of the lawmakers is to frame laws since the assemblies are called legislative assemblies. But legislators are least bothered about the legislation rather they take keen interest in construction of roads, buildings etc. That’s why, provincial governments prefer not to hold local bodies elections rather decentralization of development projects.
Development deficit of Balochistan is likely to be Rs. 100b
Balochistan government announced to have allocated Rs. 172 bs for the PSDP during the financial year 2021-22. However, currently the government has more than Rs. 40bs as per the statement of ruling party’s Spokesman Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran. The province has already spent Rs. 40bs and it has more than 40bs for the remaining year. It means the deficit is close to Rs. 100bs.
Chief Minister Quddus Bizenjo needs to put his house in order and introduce a strict financial policy to ensure completion of development projects. The government should ensure inclusive development and end the practice of exclusive development so that this backward province could come at par with other parts of the country. Action should match words now.
