Kech is among the four largest districts within the province. In Makran it has a central position: geographically, politically and administratively. It is the most densely populated district in Makran division. According to the most recent population projections, Kech has the second largest population within the province.

 In order to address the natural as well as the human potential of the district, precisely tuned development planning is required. This is hard to perceive without the availability of accurate data. At present a great amount of information is absolutely unavailable, while most of the available data has internal as well as external inconsistencies. Internal in the sense, that the department responsible for the time series seems not to be able to explain the jumps or the gaps in the trends. External, as district and provincial data concerning the same issue are quite often contradictory. For instance there seems to be no clear explanation, why the number of girls up to the age of 20 years is under-represented in the census reports. The 1981 District Census Report for Turbat (now Kech) does not give any account for housing characteristics of the rural areas of Kech. The birth and death rates are unavailable at district level and the jumpy growth trends are beyond comprehension in absence of these rates. Some data, like those of agricultural produce, are collected at union council level, but they are not analysed there, neither are they maintained on that level. The aggregation of these data at higher levels is done without the lower level’s concern and leads to aggregated figures that divert from the reality. In the end the data published in the Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan are not compatible with those provided by the Extra Assistant Director, Agriculture Extension in Kech. The 1996 data on livestock in Kech are still unofficial, but there is a wide discrepancy in the figures from the first two censuses in 1976, 1986 and the preliminary figures for 1996. There are two absolutely contradicting reports on land under forest in the district, as one claims 1,036 hectares as forest, while the other one denounces this claim. The cadastrial map does not exist for Kech, as the land settlement has not yet been completed in the district. In such a state of affairs existing data are hard to rely on and in the future it is highly conducive to collect and compile accurate data on, at least, district level.

Within the current state of affairs, the administration on district level has to be improved. Currently one is not able to render the required services. In terms of development, the district level is not well incorporated in the development planning and implementation process. Financially the district does not have a clear picture of all government income and expenditure, as only a part is administered at district level.

Kech is a frontier district, with the consequence that 70% of the government expenditure, administered by the District Treasury is spent on the Makran Scouts for keeping vigilance at the international border.

The local councils are not effective in rendering services at grass-root level. Examples are the poor level of sewerage and solid waste disposal; activities which the local bodies are responsible for. On the one hand they do not have much financial autonomy and on the other hand the resources which are available to these councils seems to be managed inefficiently. The local councils are not incorporated in the development process either; neither are the local communities.

The economy of Kech is based upon agriculture and the agricultural income per capita is just above average (Rs. 7,400 in 1994-95). The cultivated land constitutes about 7% of the total geographical area, which is about one third of the potential available land. Date is the most earning produce, as about half (51%) of the agricultural income comes through date production. In this context Kech has lot of potential for agro-based industry. Dates, being the most important cash crop, are exported to Karachi and other parts of the country without processing. This gives the farmer relatively less return. A date factory was once established at Turbat under a co-operative society with a major funding by the Regional Development Finance Corporation, but presently it has been closed due to financial mismanagement and the RDFC has ceased funding, even for other projects. If date processing and packing is encouraged as cottage industry, it may help improving not only the socio-economic condition of the people but also the revenue position of the district. The retired personnel from Oman Army do have money for investment, but they prefer to deposit it in the banks or to buy some piece of land - even barren - to become land owners.

Trade with Iran may be the second largest economic sector, but it is very hard to get any reliable data on what is going on in this sector. Small enterprises development in Kech needs training of local labour in different trades, provision of physical infrastructure and incentives from the government. Micro credit systems may be a good strategy to develop the small enterprises in Kech. Most of the business here depends upon illegal import from Iran without which the commercial activities in the district will be hard to sustain.

The physical infrastructure, a prerequisite for economic development, is underdeveloped in Kech. Road links are either non-existent or inappropriate. This has hampered proper marketing of the agricultural produce as well as the provision of agricultural inputs for affordable prices. Electricity is available at two localities only. At the verge of the 21^st century more than 90 percent of the population is deprived of this facility. The operation of diesel powered tubewells depends upon the availability of diesel, illegally imported from Iran, at an affordable price. The district has the potential to excel economically, provided that physical infrastructure and financial incentives are available.

Livestock is absolute and comparatively of little importance within the district. There may still be some potential left, but little interest is shown. The main reasons include lack of incentives by the government, unavailability of adequate veterinary services and lack of technical support like marketing and selection of more productive species.

In the social sector Kech scores below average. For instance, it is estimated that about one third of the population has access to drinking water through water supply schemes, but the safety of this water is still under question. A number of schemes are not operational yet and the community is reluctant to take over the schemes built by the government. At the contrary the government does not have funds to operate these schemes. As a result the population is deprived of safe drinking water. If all the constructed schemes are made functional, about half of the population can get safe drinking water. Within Makran, Kech has the lowest percentage of population with safe drinking water supply.

The health status of Kech’s population is unsatisfactory as the district is facing sever shortage of health personnel, especially female staff. In Makran Kech has the highest population per hospital bed ratio. The immunisation program is not up to satisfactory level and provision of health care is below average. During the fiscal year 1995-96, the per capita health expenditure was just 53 rupees for the whole year. With such little budget allocation it seems hard to raise the health status of the district population. The medicine supply by the government is top-down. Medicines are given irrespective of the local needs, thus giving no benefit to the population in Kech.

Although the number of girl primary schools are about one fourth of the total primary schools in Kech, the girl students are about 40 percent of the total primary enrolment. This percentage decreases to 20 percent at middle, 15 percent at high and 7 percent at the college level. Although the boys/girls enrolment seems rather equal, when it comes to the pupils/teachers ratio, than he number of girls towards a teacher is threefold the number of boys towards a teacher. At the girls college there is not a single female teacher. This indicates still a negative social attitude towards female education. This situation is resulting in unavailability of highly educated female professionals, both in the health and in the education sector. In this way the vicious cycle continues and the women folk, as a whole, suffers a lot.

Community participation is being ensured through national and international development projects, but there is need for more community mobilisation for development in the fields of education, health, sanitation and water supply. The active participation of women in development, specially in income generating activities, may help improving the socio-economic situation of the district.

Last, but not least, is of utmost importance to minimise ongoing wind and soil erosion. The current afforestation activities are minimal and hardly have any impact.

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