Govt removes hundreds of PML-N tenure projects from PSDP list

ISLAMABAD: The PTI-led government included 364 new development schemes into the list of Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) in the current fiscal year 2019-20 after abolishing hundreds of projects of PML-N tenure.

However, more than 50 percent of newly-inserted projects into PSDP are still unapproved after passing seven months (July-Jan) period of the current financial year 2019-20. According to official documents of different ministries/divisions exclusively available with The News disclosed that the PTI-led government had inserted 364 new development projects into the PSDP list on eve of the last budget and so far around 167 projects could be cleared from the competent forums such Central Development Working Party (CDWP) while 197 projects were still waiting for getting approval of the forum. “The PTI-led government had abolished hundreds of projects from the PSDP list which were inserted by the last PML-N led government,” official sources confirmed to The News on Sunday. However, one top official of Planning Commission told this scribe that all unapproved projects of PML-N tenure were excluded in the current fiscal year’s budget but earlier those projects were abolished in the first year rule of PTI in 2018-19 where the utilisation stood at meager amount less than 5 to 10 percent.

The list of new development projects included into PSDP list showed that there were nine projects of Civil Aviation Division with total estimated cost of Rs2.696 billion out of which the PSDP allocation for the current fiscal year stood at Rs237.973 million. Most of the projects of Civil Aviation Division were related to proposed construction of mess, hotel, accommodations at Lahore, Quetta, Chitral Airport, Faisalabad airport, ASF facilities at Karachi, Multan and Upgradation of ASF Academy.

There are seven new projects of Cabinet Division inserted into PSDP list with estimated cost of Rs25.741 billion out of which the proposed allocation for the current fiscal year stood at Rs7.515 billion in the PSDP book. The important projects of Cabinet Division included construction of Aiwan-e- Sayahat in F-5/1 Islamabad and Operationalisation of Green Line BRTS and Installation of Integrated Intelligence Transport System Equipment with estimated cost of Rs10.956 billion as this project was recommended by the CDWP on 25-9-2019. The government has allocated Rs2.5 billion for this project in the PSDP for the current fiscal year.

The government has estimated cost of Rs12.750 billion for Development Schemes under Prime Minister’s Programme in Sindh and the proposed allocation stood at Rs5 billion for this project in PSDP list for the current fiscal year.

The government included two new projects for Climate Division with estimated revised cost of Rs125.228 billion as the government proposed allocation for Establishment of Climate Change Reporting Unit in Ministry of Climate Change with total cost of Rs44 million while the allocated amount of the current fiscal year stood at Rs15 million. The ten billion revised Tsunami Programme Phase-1 Up-scaling of Green Pakistan programme with total estimated cost of Rs125.184 billion out of which the allocated amount into PSDP for 2019-20 stood at Rs7.515 billion.

There has been one project of Commerce Division included into new list of PSDP projects with estimated cost of Rs2.677 billion and allocation of this approved project for the current fiscal year stood at Rs100 million.

There is one project of Communication Division included into PSDP list other than National Highway Authority (NHA) with total estimated cost of Rs56 million out of which the allocated amount stood at Rs19 million for the current fiscal year.

There are 41 new development projects from National Highway Authority (NHA) with total estimated cost of Rs609.715 billion out of which the allocated amount stood at Rs31.352 billion for the current fiscal year.

There are three new projects of Defence Division included into PSDP list with estimated cost of Rs12.17 million out of which the allocated amount of the current fiscal year stood at Rs40.633 million.

There are four development projects of Establishment Division included into new PSDP list with total estimated cost of Rs505 million including Computer Based Testing (CBT) for various exams conducted by Federal Public Service Commission with estimated cost of Rs240 million, construction of second floor of Bolan Hostel at Civil Service Academy Walton Lahore with estimated cost of Rs59.239 million, Development of Question Databank for examination conducted by FPSC with estimated cost of Rs158.256 million, up-gradation of AHK of NCRD Hostel Building with cost of Rs47.937 million.

There are 17 new projects of Federal Education & Professional Training Division with total estimated cost of Rs16.9 billion out of which the government allocated Rs2.210 billion in the current fiscal year’s PSDP.

There are 10 new development projects of Finance Division included into PSDP list with estimated cost of Rs21.953 billion out of which the government allocated Rs3.259 billion in the current fiscal year’s PSDP.

There is one project of Foreign Affair Division that is related to renovation of ISSI building including procurement and installation of Lift at F-5/2 Islamabad with estimated cost of Rs30.253 million out of which the current PSDP allocation stood at Rs29.774 million.

There are 15 projects of Higher Education Commission included into PSDP list with estimated cost of Rs37.234 billion out of which the current fiscal year’s PSDP allocation stood at Rs3.609 billion.

There are 16 new projects included into PSDP list with estimated cost of Rs3.216 billion out of which the allocated amount of the current fiscal year stood at Rs591.983 million.

There are 3 new projects of Human Rights Division included into PSDP list with estimated cost of Rs173.5 million, 9 new projects of Industries & Production Division with estimated cost of Rs3.851 billion, 2 new projects of Information and Broadcasting Division with cost of Rs3.889 billion, 19 new projects of Information Technology & Telecom Division with estimated cost of Rs72.606 billion, one project of Inter Provincial Coordination Division with cost of Rs180 million, 14 projects of Interior Division with cost of Rs16.826 billion, 3 new projects of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan with cost of Rs8.999 billion, one new project of Law and Justice Division with cost of Rs3 billion, 3 new projects of Maritime Affairs Division with cost of Rs64.848 million, 3 new projects of Narcotics Control Division with cost of Rs271.854 million, 24 new projects of National Food Security and Research Division with total cost of Rs85.628 billion, 27 new projects of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination Division with cost of Rs23.093 billion, 3 new projects of National History & Literary Heritage Division with cost of Rs106.910 million, 7 new projects of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) with total cost of Rs12.345 billion, 2 new projects of Petroleum Division with cost of Rs971.558 million, 2 new projects of Poverty Alleviation & Social Security Division with total cost of Rs5.055 billion, 6 new projects of Planning Commission with cost of Rs6.624 billion, 4 new projects of Railway Division with cost of Rs191.585 million, one project of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony with total cost of Rs16 billion (Kartupur) land acquisition and infrastructure development, 3 new projects of Revenue Division with cost of Rs23.688 billion, 10 new projects of Science and Technology Division with cost of Rs100.656 billion, 2 new projects of SUPARCO with cost of Rs34.983 billion, one new project of Textile Division with cost of Rs889 million, 27 new projects of Power Division with estimated cost of Rs30.657 billion and 51 new projects of Water Division included into PSDP with estimated cost of Rs100.610 billion.