K-P utilises Rs120b ADP budget for current fiscal

CM's advisor says province also incurred uplift expenditures exceeding Rs150b

PESHAWAR:

K-P Chief Minister's Advisor on Finance and Interprovincial Coordination Muzzammil Aslam told the K-P Assembly that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government not only successfully completed the Annual Development Program (ADP) worth Rs120 billion for the ongoing fiscal but also incurred development expenditures exceeding Rs150 billion.

Responding to questions during the provincial assembly's budget session, the CM's aide said the current government, prioritizing public welfare, introduced financial reforms, curtailed expenditures, increased revenues, and succeeded in presenting a surplus budget — a first in the province's history. He further noted that the government had secured Rs150 billion in a debt fund to gradually pay off the province's debts.

The finance advisor emphasized the need for the federal government to fulfill the province's financial rights, adding that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had forcefully and effectively advocated for the protection of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's constitutional and financial rights in relation to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.

As a result of these efforts, positive outcomes are emerging, and the federal government is now preparing to announce the 11th NFC Award, said Aslam.

Drawing attention to the challenges in the education sector, he highlighted that although the out-of-school children situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was better than in other provinces, 30% of children in the province were still out of school — a concerning reality. In light of this, the government is declaring an "education emergency" to ensure that every child has access to education, the K-P CM advisor said.