Annual Development Programme 2014-2015: Going strong on infrastructure

Utilisation remained low during the outgoing financial year.

LAHORE:

The largest ever Annual Development Programme with a total outlay of Rs345 billion was announced for the financial year 2014-2015 on Friday. The ADP for the next financial year is Rs55 billion higher compared to the outgoing year’s allocation of Rs290 billion.

The ADP for 2014-2015 covers 2,561 development schemes at a cost of Rs290 billion and 19 development initiatives at a cost of Rs40 billion; and Rs15 billion has been set aside for special initiatives.

The government had allocated Rs290 billion for the initiation and execution of 1,578 development schemes for the present financial year. This was revised to Rs224 billion in the last quarter of the year. The Finance Department had released Rs208 billion till end of May and utilisation was reported to be Rs162 billion. Utilisation is expected to increase up to Rs195 billion by the end of June, still Rs100 billion under the ADP allocation, says a White Paper released by the government on Budget Day.

Out of the ADP allocations for 2014-2015, Rs307.896 billion will be raised from indigenous resources and Rs37.103 billion would be raised through foreign aid, the budget document says.

The government has allocated Rs96.04 billion for the social sector: Rs18.6 billion for primary education, Rs11.55 billion for higher education, Rs800 million for special education, Rs2.4 billion for the promotion of literacy, Rs.1.960 billion for sports and youth affairs, Rs.24.57 billion for health and family planning, Rs17.12 billion for water supply and sanitation, Rs900 million for social protection, Rs7.15 billion for regional planning, Rs3.5 billion for local government schemes and Rs7.5 billion for the district development package.



The government has earmarked Rs137.5 billion for infrastructure development in the next financial year: Rs31.56 billion for roads, Rs35.57 billion for irrigation, Rs22 billion for energy development, Rs8 billion for public buildings and Rs40.4 billion for urban development projects.

The government has allocated Rs20.72 billion for the production sector: Rs7.96 billion for agriculture, Rs100 million for cooperatives, Rs980 million for forestry, Rs1 billion for wildlife, Rs580 million for fisheries, Rs940 million for food department, Rs3.8 billion for livestock, Rs4.11 billion for industries, Rs260 million for mines and minerals and Rs990 million for the tourism sector.

The government has allocated Rs9.49 billion for the services sector: Rs7.39 billion for governance and information technology, Rs541 million for labour and human resources, Rs109 million for transport and Rs1.45 billion for emergency services. The government has allocated Rs8.21 billion for various categories: Rs190 million for environment protection, Rs607 million for information and culture, Rs380 million for archaeology, Rs100 million for Auqaf, Rs320 million for human rights and minority affairs and Rs6.612 billion for planning and development. The government has allocated Rs18.01 billion for the special package.



The government has reserved Rs40 billion for 19 special initiatives: Rs500 million for low income housing, Rs500 million for population welfare, Rs7.5 billion for the Punjab Education Foundation, Rs2 billion for Punjab Education Endowment Fund, Rs2 billion for Daanish Schools, Rs1 billion for the promotion of sports, Rs500 million for Knowledge Park and Punjab Technology University, Rs4 billion for Health Insurance Card Scheme, Rs2 billion for schemes sponsored by the UK government’s Department for International Development, Rs9 billion for Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park, Rs900 million for women development, Rs500 million for Green Development Funds, Rs1 billion for Aashiana Housing Scheme, Rs2 billion for Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority, Rs1 billion for Punjab Vocational Training Council, Rs1.4 billion for the Punjab Agriculture Marking Company, Rs2 billion for the Self Employment Scheme, Rs1 billion for Punjab Industrial Estate Development and Management Company and Rs1.2 billion for Punjab Mineral Corporation.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2014.