Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government is spending funds on highways, energy and railway as compared to health, education and food security projects.

The government has released Rs 279 billion for developmental projects in the first six months of the fiscal year under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2016-17 against the total budget allocation of Rs 800 billion.

Under the stipulated mechanism for release of funds, it has to release 40 percent in the first half of the fiscal year.

However, the government has not released any funds for development projects of Foreign Affairs Division, Special Federal Development Programme, Textile Industry Division and Gas Infrastructure Development Fund.

The government has released Rs 79 billion, including Rs 36.33 billion foreign aid, for infrastructure projects of National Highway Authority (NHA) against the budgeted allocation of Rs 188 billion.

The government has also released Rs 13.9 billion for the projects of Pakistan Railways against a total budget allocation of Rs 41 billion for current fiscal year 2016-17.

The Planning Commission released Rs 9.04 billion, including Rs 3.6 billion foreign aid, for the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission against a total budget allocation of Rs 27.6 billion for fiscal year 2016-17.

During the period under review, Rs 6.81 billion, including Rs 82 million foreign aid, was released for Water and Power Division (water sector) for the construction and development of water reservoirs for water conservation for irrigation and power generation against a total allocation of Rs 31.71 billion.

The Planning Commission has also released Rs 41.2 billion, including Rs 15.6 billion foreign aid, for WAPDA against a total budget allocation of Rs 130 billion for the current financial year. Almost all power projects are foreign-funded.

Under the PSDP 2016-17, the government has released Rs 4.54 billion (40 percent) for the Higher Education Commission against a total allocation of Rs 21.486 billion.

The government released Rs 514.9 million for the National Food Security and Research Division against earmarked Rs 15.2 billion for the development of agriculture that is only 34 percent of the total budget.

Rs 7.5 billion (30 percent) have been released for the National Health Services, Regulation and Co-ordination Division against a budget allocation of Rs 24.951 billion in the PSDP for health.

Under the PSDP 2016-17, Rs 2.5 billion were released for the Housing and Works Division against a total budget allocation of Rs 7.33 billion.

The government also released Rs 844 million for Capital Administration and Development Division, Rs 10.8 million for Climate Change Division, Rs 460 million for Defence Production Division, Rs 4.6 billion for Interior Division, Rs 108.4 million for Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Rs 7.9 billion for Prime Minister Youth and Hunarmand Programme and Rs 2.31 billion for Planning, Development and Reform.

The government released Rs 800 million for SUPARCO. The government has released Rs 42.5 billion for the Special Federal Development Programme for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) and security enhancement against a total allocation of Rs 100 billion. The government released Rs 6.9 billion, including Rs 1.4 billion foreign aid for development projects of Azad Jammu and Kashmir against a total budget allocation of Rs 14.7 billion for current fiscal year.

The government also released Rs 4.7 billion for Gilgit-Baltistan against Rs 11.1 billion budget allocation while Rs 8.3 billion have been released for Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) against a total budget allocation of Rs 22.3 billion.

The Planning Commission of Pakistan has so far followed the stipulated mechanism for release of funds: first quarter (July-September) 20 percent, second quarter (October-December) 20 percent, third quarter (January-March) 30 percent and fourth quarter (April-June) 30 percent.