Government releases Rs 132.87 billion for development projects

The government has released over Rs 132.87 billion under its Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2017-18 for various ongoing and new schemes against their total allocations of Rs.1001 billion. The released funds include Rs 34.59 billion for federal ministries and Rs 14.767 billion for special areas,according to latest data of Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform. Out of these allocations, Rs 2.6 billion have been released for Communication Division (other than National Highway Authority) for which the government has earmarked Rs 13.66 billion under PSDP 2017-18.

Railways Division received Rs 8.631 billion out of its total allocation of Rs 42.9 billion whereas Aviation Division received Rs 623.14 million out of its total allocation of Rs 4.348 billion. The government also released an amount of Rs 6.126 billion for various development projects of Higher Education Commission out of total allocation of Rs 35.662 billion.

Water and Power Division (water sector) received Rs 7.35 billion out of its total allocation of Rs 36.75 billion under PSDP 2017-18. The government also released Rs 620 million for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Division, for which an amount of Rs 48.701 billion have been allocated in the federal PSDP 2017-18 while Rs 46 million have been released for Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority out of its total allocations of Rs 409.553 million.

An amount of Rs 300 million have been released for Finance Division out of its total allocations of Rs 20.143 billion while Rs 163 million have been released for Climate Change Division out of its total allocations of Rs 815 million for the current year. Similarly an amount of Rs 1.226 billion have been released for Petroleum and Natural Resource Division out of its allocations of Rs 3.692 billion, Rs 223.7 million for Planning, Development and Reform Division out of its allocations of Rs 10.869 billion whereas Rs 500 million have been released for SUPARCO out of its allocations of Rs 3.5 billion.

Likewise, the government also released Rs 61 million for Human Rights Division, and Rs 322 million for National Food Security and Research Division. The government released Rs4.04 billion for AJK (block and other projects) out of its allocations of Rs25.344. billion, Rs 5.578 billion for Gilgit Baltistan (block and other projects) out of its allocations of Rs 18.3 billion whereas Rs 5.149 billion have been released for SAFRON/FATA (Block and other projects) out of its total allocations of Rs 26.90 billion for the FY2018.

The government also released Rs 30 billion for Prime Minister’s Global SDGS Achievement Programme whereas Rs 900 million have been released for ERRA out of its total allocations of Rs 7.5 billion. An amount of Rs 3.211 billion have been released for Prime Minister’s Youth Hunarmand Programme out of its total allocations of Rs 20 billion, according to the data. The Planning Commission of Pakistan has been following a proper mechanism for the release of funds and accordingly funds are released as per given mechanism.

The commission releases 20% of funds in first quarter (July September), 20% in second quarter (October December), 25% third quarter (January March) and 35% in fourth quarter (April June).