Rs959b development outlay unveiled
The Sindh government on Friday announced Rs959 billion development outlay in the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2024-25.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah unveiled the development outlay while presenting the provincial budget in the Sindh Assembly.
The development outlay includes Rs493 billion Provincial Annual Development Programme (ADP), Rs336 billion Foreign Projects Assistance, Rs76.971 Federal Public Sector Development Programme, and Rs55 billion from district ADP.
Most of the funds from the provincial ADP have been set aside for ongoing development schemes as, according to the chief minister, his government wants to complete maximum number of schemes which have been continuing for the last 10 years. No new schemes have been added in the new ADP except four block allocations pertaining to special initiatives in energy and water sectors.
According to the budget documents, a sum of Rs303 billion has been reserved for the ongoing schemes, while Rs109 billion will be spent on unapproved schemes. Most of the provincial ADP schemes belong to local governments, transport, education, and health sectors.
Allocation for water and sanitation schemes of the local government department is Rs71, billion. Similarly, Rs60.40 billion has been earmarked for transport sector's schemes, Rs32 billion for education sector schemes and Rs18 billion for health sector's schemes.
The government has allocated Rs1,100 million for first phase of the Karachi Safe City Project. Under this project 1,300 high powered cameras will be installed at 300 locations in Red Zone and Airport Corridor of the metropolis.
In Public Sector Development Programme, Rs5,711 million have been allocated for mega schemes of Karachi. These include construction of a storm water drain from M-9 to Thado Nalla via Mehran Drain, construction of Korangi Causeway Bridge, construction of dual carriage way from Nasir Hotel to Mubarak Village and construction of a sports complex in District Central.
The provincial government also intends to launch some development projects under public-private partnership in the new financial year. The West Karachi Recycling Water Project will also among these schemes. The estimated cost of this project is $180 million. Other schemes include a sewerage treatment plant (TP-4) having cost of $450 million and the JPMC safety and security project.
Reconstruction of houses in the flood-ravaged districts of Sindh will get major foreign funds during the new fiscal, with the chief minister announcing building of one million houses. According to him, 125,000 houses have been constructed while 550,000 are under construction across the province.
According to the chief minister, Sindh was in dire need of infrastructural development post 2022 floods devastation. The government was able to steer the development activities during last two years on a sustainable basis due to unwavering support of the international community.
The Sindh People's Housing for Flood Affecters was launched with a financial assistance worth $500 million from the World Bank, while the provincial government provided $227 million.
"By far we have secured financial provision of around 70 per cent from the Islamic Development Bank and Asian Development Bank. The stand-alone initiative being Pakistan's and the world's largest post-natural disaster housing reconstruction projects, is a true transformation of the vision of 'Roti, Kapra aur Makan' into reality," CM Shah said.