Budget 2017-18: AJK, G-B to get Rs43b, FATA Rs26.9b

Substantial increase seen in allocations for development funds

ISLAMABAD: No substantial allocations have been made in the new budget for tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, even though other federally administered areas got a funding boost.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in his budget speech stated that Rs62 billion have been allocations for special areas which include the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

Budgets for AJK and G-B got a substantial increase in their budgets. These areas will get Rs43.64 billion from the federal government in the next financial year compared to Rs25.75 billion allocated for the ongoing fiscal ending in June, an increase of 69.47 per cent.

Fata, on the other hand, would get Rs26.9 billion in the next fiscal, up 29 per cent from  Rs21 billion received in the previous budget.



AJK allocation

The government has allocated Rs43.6 billion for various new and ongoing schemes of Kashmir Affairs and G-B Division under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2017-18, the budget document stated.

According to the PSDP document released on Friday, allocations include Rs22 billion for AJK block allocation, Rs400 million for the 48MW Jagran Hydropower Project, Rs500 million for the AJK Legislative Assembly Complex, Rs485.65 million for Athmuqam-Keran By-pass Road, Rs700 million for construction of Rathoua Haryam Bridge across Reservoir Channel on the Mirpur-Islamgarh Road, Rs200 million for the MBBS Medical College Mirpur, Rs200 million for Mir Waiz Muhammad Farooq Shaheed Medical College, Muzafarabad, Rs558.65 million for the Nausri-Laswa By-pass Road and Rs300 million for a water supply and sewerage scheme for Mirpur city and hamlets.

G-B allocations

The government has allocated an amount of Rs15.3 billion for various ongoing and new schemes in G-B for FY 2017-18.

According to PSDP figures, the government, among other allocations has set aside Rs12 billion for the G-B block allocation, Rs3 billion for PM’s G-B Package, Rs700 million for the construction of the 16MW Hydropower Project in Naltar-III, Rs500 million for 26MW Hydropower Project in Shaghatang, Skardu. Rs300 million for the four megawatt Thak-Chilas-Diamar power project and Rs50 million for setting up a 50-bed cardiology hospital at Gilgit.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2017.