Ministry of Maritime Affairs received merely 14% of PSDP allocated

Ministry of Maritime Affairs has received only Rs 1,772.081 million (14 percent) of the total budget allocated in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2017-18 as on June 30, out of the total allocated amount of Rs. 12,775.670 million for its 20 approved projects.

Not a single penny has been issued for four projects of the Ministry including the major project of `Provision of Coal Conveying System from Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT) to Railway Network at Port Qasim’ for which Rs 3569.809 million were earmarked for the current fiscal year.

Similarly Rs. 3000 million were allocated for `Land Acquisition as per Gwadar Port Master Plan,’ while Rs. 1750 million were reserved for `Oil Storage Construction at OIA, Keemari, Karachi followed by Rs. 300 million for Capital Dredging of Berthing areas and channel for Additional Terminals (CPEC), official sources informed APP.

Major funds released for other projects included Rs1082.3 million for ‘Development and Construction of Port Allied Structures in Mullah Band Area, out of an allocated amount of Rs. 1235 million, while Rs. 180 million were released for Construction of Eastbay Expressway (CPEC) for the total allocation of Rs. 1450 million for the project.

Rs. 237.796 million was released for ‘Up-gradation of GPA Housing Complex’ from the total reserved amount of Rs 366.921 million and Rs. 36 million was issued for `Feasibility Study for Construction of Break Water (CPEC)’ from the total reserved money of Rs. 180 million during this time span.

The amount of Rs. 25 million out of total Rs. 55 million was released for the `Purchase of ECDIS, Radar-APRA, GMDSS and High Voltage Simulators for Pakistan Marine Academy at Mirpur Road, Karachi’.

(APP)