Punjab unveils ‘biggest-ever’ ADP

Rs560b set aside for different development schemes

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has unveiled the biggest-ever Annual Development Programme (ADP) of Rs560 billion for the upcoming financial year 2021-21.

Ahead of the general elections 2023, on Monday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led (PTI) provincial government has announced the biggest ADP in the history of Punjab. The government has proposed a major chunk of resources 37% or Rs205 billion for social sector development, followed by infrastructure development 26% or Rs145.4 billion, special initiatives 16% or 91.41 billion, production sector 10% or Rs57.9 billion and services sector 4% or Rs23.37 billion. A sum of Rs36.41 billion or 7% has also been proposed for other development sectors.

Budget documents made available to The Express Tribune showed that the government has allocated a sum of Rs54.22 billion has proposed for the education sector out of which Rs35.50 billion has been allocated for school education; Rs15.06 billion for higher education; Rs755 million for special education; Rs2.90 billion for literacy and non-formal basic education; and Rs6.15 billion for sports and youth affairs.

Water supply and sanitation get Rs18.76 billion; social welfare Rs1.22 billion; women development Rs500 million and local government and community development get development funds of Rs26.63 billion.

Read Rs370 billion set aside for health sector

Budget documents highlighted that a sum of Rs145.4 billion has been proposed for infrastructure development in Punjab, out of which Rs58.29 billion has been allocated for roads; Rs30.77 billion for irrigation, Rs7 billion for energy, Rs19.27 billion for government buildings and Rs30.04 billion for urban development.

The production sector gets a development budget of Rs57.90 billion, including Rs31.49 billion for agriculture, Rs4 billion for forestry, Rs1 billion for wildlife, Rs1 billion for fisheries, Rs500 million for food, Rs5 billion for livestock and dairy development; Rs12.2 billion for industries, commerce, investment and skill development; Rs1.45 billion for mines and minerals and Rs1.25 billion for the tourism sector.

Documents show that the services sector gets a total of Rs23.37 billion out of which Rs5.07 billion has been allocated for governance and information technology (IT), Rs400 million for labour and human resource development, Rs16.8 billion for transport and Rs1.1 billion for emergency services (1122).

Other sectors get Rs36.41 billion, which includes Rs5 billion for the environment and the climate crisis; Rs510 million for information and culture, Rs700 million for archaeology, Rs700 million for auqaf and religious affairs, Rs2.50 billion for human rights and minority affairs and Rs27 billion for planning and development.

In addition, the ADP includes a huge sum of Rs91.41 under the head of special programmes and initiatives of the chief minister.

In budget documents, the government has highlighted a list of several flagship projects which are expected to be completed in the next financial year. These projects include the Punjab Agriculture Food and Drug Authority which will be completed with an estimated cost of Rs6.32 billion.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^h, 2021.