GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Finance Minister Javed Manwa unveiled the annual budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 with a total outlay of over Rs119.3 billion in the assembly on Monday.

The deficit has been shown in the proposed annual budget is Rs9 billion. The budget proposed allocation of Rs10 billion for wheat subsidy and Rs61.4 billion for ongoing expenditures while Rs47.8 billion have been allocated for new development schemes. Finance Minister Javed Manwa announced a 15 per cent increase in salaries of all government employees and also proposed an ad hoc relief allowance for them.

GB Finance Minister Javed also announced 15 per cent DRA of the basic salary for the government employees who do not receive any special allowance. For the Grade 20 officers in Gilgit Baltistan, the finance minister also recommended paying 25 per cent DRA of the basic salary from 2017 to July 1, 2022.