Development funds see marked increase of 15%

LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha presented a Rs635 billion Annual Development Plan (ADP) for FY2017-18 in the Punjab Assembly on Friday. The government has set aside Rs532.44 billion for the core ADP, while Rs102.55 billion was allocated for Other Development Initiatives (ODIs).



Department-wise allocations indicate the government has dedicated Rs21 billion to agriculture, Rs104.30 billion to communication and works, Rs70 million for cooperatives, Rs53.36 billion for school education and Rs18.03 billion for higher education.

Budget documents show the government has allocated Rs540 million for environment protection, Rs750 million for excise and taxation, Rs15 billion for finance, Rs500 million for food, Rs3.87 billion for forestry wildlife and fisheries, Rs25.04 billion for primary and secondary healthcare, Rs25.26 billion for specialised healthcare and medical education, Rs3.81 billion for home, Rs73.91 billion for housing, urban development and public health engineering and Rs15.05 for the industries and mineral development.





For development in other sectors, it has allocated Rs300 million for the Punjab Information Technology Board (PBIT), Rs658.50 million for information culture and youth, Rs42.28 billion for irrigation and power, Rs640 million for labour and human resource, Rs42 million for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Rs818 million for minorities affairs, Rs16.50 billion for literacy and non-formal basic education, Rs9.54 billion for livestock and dairy development, Rs7.96 billion for local government and community development, Rs1.5 billion for mines and minerals, Rs90.16 billion for planning and development and Rs1.41 billion for the population development department.

Documents show the government has earmarked Rs190 million for development schemes for the Religious Affairs and Auqaf Department, Rs428.04 million for revenue, Rs256.72 million for services and general administration, Rs1.10 billion for social welfare and Baitulmal, Rs1.06 billion for special education, Rs1.04 billion for sports and Rs97 billion for transport. The major chunk for transport is dedicated to the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train project.



ADP documents indicated the government allocated Rs156.37 million for Tourism Resort Development Department, Rs7.75 billion for Energy, Rs7.85 billion for Youth Affairs and Sports and Rs675 million for the Women Development Department. They added that the government provided Rs117 million through foreign project assistance, mainly Chinese loans for the metro train project.



Numbers show that the government has increased allocation for the development budget by 15% when compared to the previous year’s Rs550 billion ADP. However, historic data shows the government always failed to release and utilise the allocated development funds. Data showed that in FY 2013-14, the government announced an ADP of Rs290 billion, but it released only Rs217 billion and utilised Rs199 billion. Similarly, in 2014-15, the allocation was Rs345 billion and utlisation hovered around Rs250 billion. In 2015-16, Rs400 billion development plan was announced and the government hardly spent Rs316 billion.

During current FY2016-17, the government announced Rs550 billion for the ADP, but it released Rs342 billion of which Rs207 billion have been utilised for development in the province. Data highlights construction of new and existing roads is at the top of development priorities since 2013, while agriculture and livestock are at the bottom.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2017.