Govt proposes Rs700 bn uplift outlay for budget

ISLAMABAD: The government has envisaged an allocation of Rs288 billion for all ministries/divisions, Rs350 billion for power and road sectors and Rs61 billion for special programmes out of total proposed development programme outlay of Rs700 billion at federal level for upcoming budget 2017-18, official documents available with The News reveals.

The proposed indicative budget ceiling (IBC) for three years (2017-18 to 2019-20), available with The News, disclosed on Monday that the major chunk of proposed development funding would be utilised for power and road sector under much trumpeted $56 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The power and road sector will get the lion’s share to tune of Rs350 billion out of total proposed IBC to the tune of Rs700 billion for upcoming budget 2017-18. Out of Rs61 billion proposed for special programmes, the government has decided to earmark Rs25 billion for Prime Minister’s Global SDGs Achievement Programme, Rs30 billion for Special Federal Development Programmes and Rs7 billion for ERRA (Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority) for the upcoming financial year 2017-18.

Out of proposed allocation of Rs288 billion for all development projects of ministries/division, Pakistan Railways (PR) allocation stood at the top with funding provision of Rs36 billion for the upcoming budget. Keeping in view condition of PR and China’s interest to overhaul rail network, the PR is going to get this amount for undertaking ongoing development initiatives in the coming financial year. China is going to provide multibillion dollar funding in the range of $8.5 billion for upgrading ML-1 (Mainline-1) from Peshawar to Karachi and its funding arrangement is expected to be finalised during the upcoming visit of PM Nawaz Sharif on eve of one belt one road conference next month.

For all ministries/division, the government has proposed Rs4 billion for Aviation Division, Rs125 million for Cabinet Division, Rs4 billion for Capital Administration & Development Division (CADD), Rs800 million for Climate Change, Rs900 million for Commerce Division, Rs5 billion for Communication Division (other than NHA), Rs500 million for Defence Division, Rs2.7 billion for Defence Production Division, Rs190 million for Establishment Division, Rs3 billion for Federal Education & Professional Training Division, Rs13 billion for Finance Division, Rs300 million for Foreign Affairs Division, Rs22.5 billion for Higher Education Commission (HEC), Rs8 billion for Housing & Works Division, Rs175 million for Human Rights Division, Rs1.1 billion for Industries & Production Division, Rs350 million for Information & Broadcasting Division, Rs1.2 billion for Information Technology & Telecom Division, Rs800 million for Inter Provincial Coordination Division, Rs15 billion for Interior Division, Rs28 billion for Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit-Baltistan Division, Rs1.5 billion for Law & Justice Division, Rs220 million for Narcotics Control Division, Rs1 billion for National Food Security & Research Division, Rs25 billion for National Health Services, Regulation & Coordination, Rs100 million for National History & Literary Heritage Division, Rs13 billion for Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Rs400 million for Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), Rs100 million for Petroleum & Natural Resource Division, Rs13 billion for Planning, Development & Reform Division, Rs8 billion for Ports & Shipping Division, Rs36 billion for Pakistan Railways, Rs10 million for Religious Affairs & Inter Faith Harmony Division, Rs700 million for Revenue Division, Rs1.9 billion for Science & Technology Research Division, Rs24.4 billion for States & Frontier Affairs Division (SAFRON), Rs200 million for Statistics Division, Rs3.5 billion for SUPARCO, Rs150 million for Textile Industry Division, Rs36 billion for Water & Power Division (water sector) and Rs10.680 billion for Certified Liabilities in the upcoming budget 2017-18.

For corporations, Wapda’s power sector allocation proposed at Rs135 billion and for NHA Rs215 billion in the next budget so total funding for power and road sector would be standing at Rs350 billion.