Punjab govt releases Rs282b for development during six months

Amount was spent on 6,080 projects in the province


Our Correspondent January 16, 2017
The planning ministry presented 23 schemes, indicating allocation of roughly Rs6 billion for the next fiscal year, which was 44.5% higher than this year’s budget for these projects. PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE: Punjab released Rs282 billion of the total development budget of Rs550 billion during the first six months of the ongoing fiscal year, which was 38% higher than the amount released in the comparative period of the previous year.

The released amount was meant for 6,080 development projects across Punjab. This included Rs44.5 billion for education, Rs29.8 billion for health, Rs24 billion for water supply and sanitation and Rs3 billion for sports and youth affairs.

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Out of the full-year development budget, Rs169 billion has been earmarked for social sectors, Rs42.5 billion for health, Rs68 billion for education, Rs158 billion for infrastructure development, which includes roads, irrigation and public building sectors, and Rs29.2 billion has been allocated for agriculture and livestock sectors, said Planning and Development spokesman.

During the current financial year, unprecedented allocations have been made for the development of health, education, agriculture and irrigation and infrastructure development sectors. These funds have been released against the implementation of schemes all over Punjab without any geographical discrimination, said the official.

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A number of projects have been implemented in these areas, among which are; Multan Metro Bus Project, which is being completed during the current year at a cost of Rs30 billion, expansion of Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital in Muzaffargarh at a cost of Rs9 billion and development schemes for Cholistan Development Authority at a cost of Rs2.712 billion.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2017.

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