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Thursday March 28, 2024

Priorities committee firms up budget allocations for ministries, divisions

By Mehtab Haider
April 12, 2017

Islamabad

In order to propose allocations of all ministries/divisions and departments for the upcoming budget, the Priorities Committee is scheduled to hold five days meetings starting from Tuesday and on the first day, budgets for 17 ministries including President and Prime Minister secretariats as well as Intelligence Bureau (IB) were firmed up.

Finance Division proposed allocation of Rs850 billion for federal development outlay including Rs700 billion for Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for ministries/division and attached departments and Rs150 billion for special areas programmes including for reconstruction of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and other programmes for the coming budget 2017-18.

The budget making process for financial year 2017-18 kick started formally Tuesday as the Priorities Committee, scheduled to meet this week from April 11 to 15, 2017, at Q Block (Finance Ministry) will propose ceilings of both development and current allocations for the upcoming budget which is expected to be unveiled during last week of May this year around starting of upcoming Ramazan.

Against indicative budget ceiling of Rs700 billion by Finance Division for PSDP in 2017-18, the Planning Ministry has now written official communication to Finance Ministry for apprising that it would be insufficient to meet all major initiatives including China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other infrastructure requirements. So far, the Planning Ministry got no reply from Finance Division.

In first session, the Priorities Committee considered budgetary allocation for Cabinet Division including IB, Provincial Coordination Division, Federal Education & Professional Training Division, National Health Services, Regulation & Coordination, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA).

In the second session on Tuesday, the Priorities Committee considered budgetary allocation for President Secretariat, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Aviation Division, Prime Minister Office (PMO), Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission, Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), NAVTTC, Prime Minister Office (Internal) Foreign Affairs Division and National Security Division.

Today (Wednesday), the Committee will consider budgetary allocation for Board of Investment, Religious Affairs & National Harmony Division, Water & Power Division, National Food Security & Research Division, Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit-Baltistan Division and Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources.

In second session on Wednesday, the Priorities Committee will take up proposed allocation for Establishment Division, Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), Information & Broadcasting Division, Revenue Division/FBR, Statistics Division, National History & Literary Heritage Division, Auditor General of Pakistan and Controller General of Accounts.

On April 13, 2017 on Thursday, the Committee will consider approval of proposed allocation of Commerce Division, Textile Division, Communication Division including National Highway Authority (NHA), Ports & Shipping Division, Privatisation Division, Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Division, Interior Division, Housing & Works Division, Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat, Capital Administration & Development Division, Narcotics Control Division and Finance Division.

On April 14, 2017 on coming Friday, the Priority Committee will finalise proposed allocation for Planning, Development & Reform Division, Science & Technology Division, Industries & Production Division, Economic Affairs Division, Information Technology & Telecommunication Division, Climate Change Division, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Defence Division and Defence Production Division.

On last and fifth consecutive day of coming Saturday (April 15, 2017) the Priority Committee will consider proposed allocation for Federal Tax Ombudsman, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), State & Frontier Region Division, Parliamentary Affairs Division, Federal Shariat Court, Council of Islamic Ideology (CCI), Senate Secretariat, Registrar Islamabad High Court, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), National Assembly Secretariat, Chief Executive Officer Federal Ombudsman Secretariat against Harassment of Woman at Workplace, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Law & Justice Division, Human Rights Division, Fata and National School of Public Policy (NSPP).