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       QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti expressed serious concerns on Monday over the delay by the federal government in releasing funds for federal projects in the province.

       During a high-level meeting to review the progress of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), Mr Bugti decided to write to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to address the issue.

       Minister for Planning and Development Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi informed the meeting that the federal government had released only 10pc of the funds for its projects in the province, causing delays in implementation.

       Mr Buledi added that Islamabad had allocated fewer projects for Balochistan under the federal uplift programme, and the funds were not being released on time.

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       CM Bugti directed the authorities to ensure the timely completion of projects under the provincial public sector development programme. He set a deadline for completing development projects and instructed the departments to provide detailed reports on the status of fund releases for federal projects.

       The chief minister also ordered the completion of 90pc of the current PSDP projects by June and formed a committee to improve financial regulations and remove obstacles in fund releases. The committee will be headed by Mr Buledi and include officials from various departments.

       He expressed satisfaction with the progress of health services and instructed the department to expedite the construction of a hospital in Naseerabad. However, he raised concerns over the forest department’s performance and ordered the immediate release of funds for the construction of press clubs in Turbat and Jaffarabad.

       The chief minister announced plans to operate green and pink buses in Quetta to enhance public transport services. He assured that the next provincial budget would allocate 100pc of approved schemes for implementation and called for proposals to improve the quality of life for the people of Balochistan.

       Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2025