Rs72bn allocated for ministries under PSDP in fourth quarter

The amount is Rs50 billion more as compared to the previous year

By Mehtab Haider

May 21, 2023

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives has authorised Rs72 billion for various ministries/divisions in the fourth quarter (April-June) of the current fiscal year (2022-2023) under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP), which is Rs50 billion more as compared to the previous year.

The Planning Ministry has authorized Rs566.85 billion to various ministries/divisions in 2022-2023, which is Rs50 billion more as compared to the previous year, which was Rs516.31 bn.

The Higher Education Commission HEC remained on the top as Rs42,928.91m was authorized in the 4th quarter of the current year. The detail shows that Aviation Division was authorized Rs3,314 million, Cabinet Division Rs90,035.28m, Climate Division Rs4,073m; Board of Investment Rs163.63m; Commerce Division 5,550.61m; Communication Rs108m; Defence Division Rs2,226.94m, Defence Production Rs2,200m; Establishment Division Rs433.07m, Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training Rs5,469.91m; Housing & Works Rs19,528.42m; Information and Technology Rs5,731.7m, Railways 25,818.8m, National Food & Security Rs12,329.13m, National Health Services, Regulation Rs11,774.42m.

The ministry has authorized Rs91,845.22m to the provinces. Furthermore, the National Highways Authority was authorized Rs76,575.34m, NTDC/PEPCO Rs20,209.83m and Railways Division Rs25,818.80m.

The Planning Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, has a constant view since he assumed charge of the Ministry that the federal government should not take projects related to the provinces. “The federal government should consider only high priority projects of the provinces based on 50-50 sharing,” said the minister during the last meeting in which he reviewed the PSDP.

This is worth noting that despite financial constraints, the government managed to allocate Rs700 billion for PSDP. During the year 2022, in the same quarter, the PTI government failed to release a single penny, which happened for the first time in the country’s history.