Balochistan uses 114pc of development funds for first time, says Zahoor Buledi

QUETTA: Provincial Minister for Development and Planning Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi has said that historic reforms have been introduced in Balochistan’s system of development planning, monitoring and implementation over the past two years. He said they have brought marked improvement in the transparency, pace and quality of development projects, and the province has reached 114 per cent utilisation of development funds for the first time. He said this clearly shows Balochistan’s growing capacity.

He was speaking at a press briefing on the performance of the Planning and Development Department on Tuesday. Provincial Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove and Additional Chief Secretary Development and Planning Zahid Saleem were also present.

First annual progress report and digital system

Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi said the Planning and Development Department has issued an annual progress report for the first time in its history. The report compiles the development programme, achievements, institutional reforms, policy measures and regulatory reforms of the past two and a half years, so that the public and the institutions concerned can be informed of the province’s development performance.

He said the department fully automated the PSDP during the past year. Online submission of development projects, automated approval stages, data integration and all other matters are now handled through a digital system. A special mobile app has also been developed. Through it, P&D officers and other officials can visit the site of any development project and get its full details at once. Geo-tagging of nearly all projects has also been completed down to the union council level.

The provincial minister said the Bureau of Statistics has also been modernised. In the past, projects often failed to deliver the desired results because their feasibility studies were weak. Now the data analysis system has been strengthened by hiring experts. A provincial statistical digital dashboard has been launched for the first time. A report based on socio-economic indicators from 2010 to 2023 has also been published. It gives a detailed analysis of Balochistan’s progress over the past 13 years, its trends and the benefits reaching the people.

He said the Monitoring and Evaluation Wing, which had long been inactive, has been revived. During the financial year 2025-26, monitoring teams visited 2022 development projects, an increase of about 378 per cent over the previous year. The aim is that projects do not remain on paper only, and that their timely completion, correct use of funds and delivery of real benefits to the people are reviewed continuously.

Rs283 billion spent against Rs249 billion

The provincial minister said the provincial PSDP last financial year included a total of 6,728 development schemes. Of these, 3,758 were ongoing and 2,970 were new. A development outlay of Rs249 billion had been allocated for them. However, owing to effective planning and administrative reforms, Rs283 billion was spent, equal to 114 per cent utilisation of funds.

He said that in the past the federal bureaucracy and other circles believed Balochistan could not take its development fund capacity beyond 50 to 70 per cent. He said the present government’s reforms have proved this perception wrong. Balochistan’s development capacity has risen markedly, and the government will continue measures to improve it further.

Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi said a provincial PSDP of Rs206 billion has been approved for the financial year 2026-27. The largest share of funds has been allocated to the Communication and Works Department, followed by the Irrigation Department and, in third place, the Education Department. He said Education was neglected in the past, but the present government has given it priority and brought it to third place. He said schools are being upgraded, missing facilities are being provided, and basic facilities through the WASH programme and all resources needed for quality education are being made available.

Briefing by Additional Chief Secretary Zahid Saleem

Additional Chief Secretary Development and Planning Zahid Saleem said the basic responsibility of the Planning and Development Department is to ensure development planning, project preparation, scrutiny, approval and effective implementation. He said significant reforms were made in the system of project preparation, appraisal and approval over the past two years. Timely implementation and effective use of funds were ensured, as a result of which Rs283 billion was spent against Rs249 billion.

He said the Monitoring and Evaluation Wing was made effective and active over the past two years, particularly during the financial year 2025-26. Under the P&D automation system, all PC-1s have been fully digitised. No hard copy of any project is now prepared, and all stages are completed online.

Zahid Saleem said that last financial year the M&E Wing inspected 2022 development projects. It pointed out flaws to the departments concerned and directed them to take corrective measures. As of 30 June, corrective action was pending on 45 projects. According to the latest review, action has been completed on 40 of them and only five projects remain.

He said 3,020 development schemes completed last financial year were sent for ground verification through the Deputy Commissioners concerned. Flaws were initially found in 32 projects. According to the latest review, however, only one project, in Panjpai, was found incomplete. It is being handed over to the CMIT and Anti-Corruption for further action.

The Additional Chief Secretary said the Bureau of Statistics has for the first time analysed Balochistan’s socio-economic indicators from 2010 to 2023. It has also prepared a comparison with other provinces, particularly Punjab and Sindh. Comprehensive data on candidates for government jobs has also been compiled over the past two years. The department now holds a complete record of 239,000 candidates, by district, gender and education. With its help, employment and livelihood programmes are being designed to be more effective and better targeted.

Photo: courtesy DGPR Balochistan