83pc cut for mines and minerals

LAHORE: The Punjab government has cut down 83 percent budget in comparison of previous year and allocated Rs250 million for Mines and Minerals Department in the Annual Development Budget 2018-19, to promote and facilitate mines and minerals exploration in Punjab.

In the current financial year, the Punjab government has decreased the budget of the Mines and Minerals Department with the vision to promote and facilitate Mines and Minerals exploration in Punjab that is environmentally responsible socially sustainable and safe to attract foreign and local investment in this sector.

This time the allocated amount will be spent on five ongoing schemes and four new schemes. The new schemes will cost Rs118.401 million while Rs131.599 million have been reserved for the ongoing schemes. The new schemes include establishment of acquisition of land for establishment of office for inspector of mines and junior inspectors of mines in Chakwal; construction of mining complex for the office of chief inspectorate of mines mining development cell and mines labour welfare commissioner Lahore, acquisition of land for the construction of office and residences for assistant director mines and minerals in Chiniot, and provision of equipment for inspection regime.

Punjab Mines and Minerals Department is responsible instrument of the state for mineral resource wealth mapping, its development and exploration. Punjab is lavishly blessed with mineral wealth that needs to be exploited systematically. Currently, 20 minerals are being excavated out of 35 known. Punjab has almost one billion ton coal and 900 million ton iron ore reserves. Under the dynamic leadership of the chief minister, Mines & Minerals Department is leaving no stone unturned to promote and facilitate mines & minerals exploration in Punjab to attract local and foreign investment, thereby ensuring a positive thrust in the provincial GDP.

Rs7b for P&D: The Punjab government has allocated Rs7 billion budget for Planning and Development for urban development to bring less-developed areas and to provide equal opportunities of employment and income generation for improving the living standard.

The Planning and Development (P&D) sector primarily responds to the challenges of poverty reduction, employment generation and sustainable development for socio-economic transformation of Punjab. The objectives of this budget includes the provision of basic infrastructure facilities to the people of South Punjab, poverty alleviation in the deprived areas, better service delivery to public in an efficient and effective monitoring. The budget includes 15 ongoing schemes while 11 new schemes. The government's new policy for P&D includes defining of good governance reforms, extending social sector coverage, improved delivery of public services, reducing poverty and inequality, enhancement of private sector participation through public private partnership, ensuring balanced urban, regional and gender development, and accelerated and balanced economic growth. The ongoing schemes of P&D include Punjab Government Efficiency Improvement Programme (PRMP) strengthening of PMU of the PRMP (Rs65.921 million), Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) (Rs485.571 million), and Bureau of Statistics (BOS) (Rs31.557 million) and Agency for Barani Areas (Rs111.860 million).