Development funds: Punjab announces another ambitious development programme

LAHORE:

The Punjab government on Monday presented its biggest ever Annual Development Programme (ADP) with a total outlay of Rs290 billion for the financial year 2013-14, compared to Rs250 billion in the previous year, 2012-13, ending June 30.

The ADP for 2013-14 is Rs40 billion higher than the previous year’s (2012-13). As many as 1,578 development schemes have been identified this year compared to 1,178 last year.

Of the total ADP, Rs259.463 billion would come from indigenous sources [share from the divisible pool and provincial collections]. According to the budget document, around Rs30.537 billion will come from foreign aid. As much as Rs165.549 would be spent on initiating new development schemes and Rs124.450 on ongoing development projects. The document states that the size of the net development programme is Rs240 billion, while Rs50 billion has been set aside for special initiatives.

An official of the Finance Department told The Express Tribune that the Punjab government had revised the 2012-13 ADP from Rs250 billion to Rs166.8 billion. The utilisation of funds reported till end of May was Rs121.2 billion. It was expected to reach Rs137 billion by June 30, he said.

The ADP was formulated within a Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF). Its objectives include equitable growth embracing all classes, sectors and regions; extended social sector coverage; employment, infrastructure development and more resources for less developed areas.



The social sector was given top priority with an allocation of Rs90.795 billion, infrastructure sector Rs90.714 billion, special packages Rs24.840 billion; services sector Rs13.555 billion, Rs11.091 billion was reserved for the production sector and Rs9.005 billion for others.



Of Rs50 billion set aside for special initiatives, the Finance Department has allocated Rs1.5 billion for TEVTA, Rs3 billion for Danish schools, Rs3 billion for Punjab Millennium Development Goal Achievement Programme, Rs2 billion for Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF), Rs7.5 billion for the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF), Rs2 billion to finance vertical programmes, Rs1 billion for the Parks and Horticulture Authorities, Rs3 billion for Aashiana Housing Scheme, Rs1 billion for Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Board, Rs1 billion for women development, Rs500 million for sports, Rs3 billion for self employment schemes, Rs3 billion for the Punjab Industrial Estates (PIE), Rs500 million for the Innovation Development Fund, Rs500 million for Punjab Technology University, Rs1 billion for the Lahore Meat Company, Rs1.5 billion for the internship programme, Rs500 million for low income housing, Rs2.5 billion for population welfare, Rs5 billion to provide clean drinking water, Rs3 billion for infrastructure development and Rs4 billion for the issuance of Health Service Cards in four pilot districts.  

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2013.