Staff Reporter
Islamabad
The Balochistan government has collected Rs 2.5 billion from minerals sector during the current financial year, despite coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The government has collected the huge amount from mining sector and deposited in the provincial treasury, an official of the Balochistan government said.
Computerized weighing scales have been installed besides increasing mining check posts in the province and upgrading royalty system in line with the modern technology, he added.
The official said that the Department of Mines and Minerals would launch a project of digitization of royalty system to bring transparency in revenue collection management. He said the provincial government had planned to establish Minerals Exploration Company (MEC) to boost the mining sector. “The Balochistan government has initially allocated Rs 1.4 billion fund for the BMEC and also provide a platform to private companies in the province,” he said.
The company would make development of the mineral resources of the province to boost the investors’ confidence and increase investment in the minerals sector. Rs 300 million has been earmarked for setting up and expansion of the existing crushing plants in different districts of the province during the next financial year. In the financial year 2020-2021, Rs 0.534 billion has been allocated for the developments of the sector and Rs 3.624 billion for the annual expenditure of the department.
