K-P mulls diverting funds to fight coronavirus

PESHAWAR: The number of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) patients constantly increasing, the provincial government is considering options to fund a response, including cuts to the annual development programme and diverting money for stemming the spread of the virus in the province.

A top official of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) told The Express Tribune that the government is considering different alternatives, including a complete suspension of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the fiscal year 2019-2020, or making cuts to it.

The decision is being taken keeping in view the post-Covid-19 situation, the official said, adding that out of the Rs900 billion earmarked in the provincial budget, the provincial government had allocated Rs319 billion for the ADP.

The official further said that the provincial government had aimed to allocate an estimated Rs968 billion for the fiscal year 2020-21, however, it seems that the government will have to change it because of the Covid-19 fallout.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2020.