Rs350b for Punjab ADP

LAHORE: The Punjab government has allocated Rs 350 billion for the Annual Development Programme for the fiscal year 2019-20 with an increase of 54 per cent from the revised allocation of Rs 227 billion for the previous financial year.

The PTI Punjab government has emphasized the need for developing the province’s human capital rather than just focusing on infrastructure development. Out of the allocated amount for the ADP, the provincial government has specified Rs 124.9 billion for the social sectors which is 35.68 per cent of the total ADP budget. Out of the allocated amount of Rs 124.9 billion for the social sector, Rs 32 billion have been allocated for School Education, while Rs 7.3 billion have been allocated for Higher Education, and Rs 22 billion for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education and Rs. 23.5 billion for Primary and Secondary Healthcare. Furthermore, Rs 22.4 billion have been allocated for water supply and Sanitation and Rs 23.4 billion have been allocated for the irrigation sector. Similarly, Rs 1 billion have been allocated for Special Education, Rs 2.6 billion for Literacy and Non-formal Education, Rs 4 billion for Sports and Youth Affairs and Rs 2 billion for Population Welfare.

Moreover, Rs 1 billion have been allocated for Social Welfare, Rs 800 million for Women Development and Rs 6.3 billion for Local Government and Community Development. The provincial government has allocated Rs 35 billion for roads, for irrigation sector Rs 23.4 billion, for energy sector Rs 6 billion, for public buildings Rs 9.8 billion and Rs 13.5 billion for urban development sector.

Rs 15.5 billion have been allocated for agriculture, Rs 3.43 billion for forestry, Rs 520 million for wildlife, Rs 1.05 billion for fisheries, Rs 500 million for food, Rs 3.5 billion for livestock and dairy development, Rs 7.5 billion for industries, commerce, investment and skills development, Rs 1 billion for mines and minerals and Rs 1.5 billion for tourism.

The provincial government has also prioritized the information technology and transport sectors as it has allocated Rs 13.5 billion for transport and mass transit and Rs 6 billion for governance and IT sector. For the next fiscal year, Rs 800 million have been allocated for Emergency Services and Rs 300 million for Labour and Human Resource Development.

A huge amount of Rs 14 billion has been allocated for Planning and Development and PSDF for the fiscal year 2019-20. The following sectors remained the least focused areas as only Rs 1 billion have been allocated for environment, Rs 300 million for information and culture, Rs 350 million for archeology, Rs 300 million for Auqaf & Religious Affairs and Rs 1 billion for Human Rights and Minority Affairs.

For special initiatives, the provincial government has allocated Rs 65.35 billion which include Rs 50.35 billion for Special Programme and Rs 15 billion for Community Development Programme.

It may be mentioned here that the PML-N Punjab government had allocated Rs 635 billion for the Annual Development Programme of the fiscal year 2017-18, while its revised allocation was Rs 576 billion. The PTI’s fiscal year 2019-20 budget for the APD is 39.23 per cent less than the PML-N Punjab government’s revised allocation for the fiscal year 2017-18.