Balochistan Achieves Record 114% Development Fund Utilization After Major Reforms: Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi
Quetta: Balochistan Minister for Planning and Development, Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, has announced that the provincial government has introduced historic reforms in the planning, monitoring, and implementation of development projects over the past two years, significantly improving transparency, efficiency, and the quality of public development initiatives.
Addressing a press briefing on the performance of the Planning and Development Department, Buledi said Balochistan had achieved a record 114 percent utilization of development funds for the first time, demonstrating the province’s enhanced administrative capacity and improved financial management.
He stated that the department had published its first-ever annual performance report, outlining development achievements, institutional reforms, policy initiatives, and regulatory measures implemented over the past two and a half years.
The minister said the Provincial Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) had been fully digitized, enabling online project submissions, automated approvals, data integration, geo-tagging, and digital monitoring. A dedicated mobile application has also been launched, allowing officials to access complete project information directly from development sites.
According to Buledi, the Monitoring and Evaluation Wing inspected 2,022 development projects during the 2025-26 fiscal year, representing a 378 percent increase compared to the previous year. The inspections are aimed at ensuring timely completion of projects, transparent use of public funds, and effective delivery of development benefits.
He said the provincial PSDP for the last fiscal year included 6,728 development schemes, with an allocated budget of Rs249 billion. Due to improved planning and administrative reforms, the province utilized Rs283 billion, achieving 114 percent of the allocated development funds.
Buledi further announced that the provincial government has approved a Rs206 billion PSDP for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The largest allocation has been made to the Communications and Works Department, followed by the Irrigation Department and the Education Department. He emphasized that education has been prioritized through school upgradation, provision of missing facilities, and measures to improve the quality of education across the province.
Additional Chief Secretary for Planning and Development, Zahid Saleem, said all PC-I documents have been fully digitized, with every stage of project planning and approval now completed online to enhance transparency and efficiency. He added that out of 3,020 completed development schemes verified during the previous fiscal year, only one project was found incomplete and has been referred to the relevant authorities for further action.
Saleem also revealed that the Bureau of Statistics has published its first comprehensive report on Balochistan’s socio-economic indicators covering the period from 2010 to 2023. In addition, the department has compiled a database of 239,000 job applicants, categorized by district, gender, and education level, to support evidence-based employment and livelihood planning in the province.
