Daily Times

KARACHI: The budget of Sindh for the financial year 2016-2017 with an outlay of approximately Rs 869 billion was presented in the provincial assembly on Saturday. The new budget translates into a rise of around 15 percent compared to fiscal year 2015-16.

Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presented the budget in the assembly after it was approved by the provincial cabinet members. The session was chaired by Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.

Sindh government has allocated Rs 50.3 billion annual development budget (ADP) for Karachi division in its annual budget 2016-17 aiming to focus mainly on the areas of development in the metropolis for the next financial year.

In this regard, Rs 10 billion have been allocated for major infrastructure projects of Karachi, which will be instrumental for construction of Benazir Bhutto Flyover at Shaheen Complex at a cost of Rs 800 million.

Similarly, upgradation of key buildings and roads of the city have been announced including upgradation of fire services for high rise buildings of Karachi metropolitan Corporation (KMC), at the cost of Rs 499 million, upgradation of piperi filter plant and pumping station at the cost of Rs 900 million and upgradation of primary schools to middle schools in Malir at a cost of Rs 57.654 million.

During his budget speech, Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah announced construction of various avenues and streets in Karachi including construction of University Road from Hassan Square to NIPA at cost of Rs 770 million, construction of University Road from NED University to Safoora Chowk at the cost of Rs 780 million, rehabilitation and reconstruction of Tariq Road from Shaheed-e-Millat Road to Shahrah-e-Quaideen district East at the cost of Rs 550 million, reconstruction and rehabilitation of Mosamiyat Road Karachi at the cost of Rs 200 million, construction of Hub River Road remaining part at the cost of Rs 500 million and reconstruction and rehabilitation of road from Surjani to Madinatul Hikmat Karachi at the cost of Rs 750 million.

Moreover, underpass at Regent Plaza Shahrah-e-Faisal Karachi would also be constructed at the cost of Rs 525 million, construction of U-turn at Natha Khan Bridge Karachi at the cost of Rs141 million, construction of underpass of Star Gate Shahrah-e-Faisal Karachi at the cost of Rs 500 million and widening of Shahrah-e-Faisal on both sides from Metropole to Star Gate at the cost of Rs 850 million have also been planned for the next fiscal year.

Similarly, the remodeling of Baloch Colony Flyover at the cost of Rs 120 million, reconstruction of Drig Colony Flyover Karachi at the cost of Rs 505 million, construction of Manzil Pump Flyover at N-5 Karachi at the cost of Rs 600 million, construction of underpass at Submarine Chowrangi Karachi at the cost of Rs 500 million have also been included in ADP for Karachi.

The allocation for K-IV and S-III has been kept as Rs 6 billion and Rs 1 billion respectively. The construction of ‘BRTS Orange Line’ at the cost of Rs 2364.190 million, construction of ‘BRTS Red Line with total cost of Rs15,000 million whereas Chinese loan assistance share is 85 percent with Rs 12750 million, 15 percent GOS Share with Rs 2250 million at the cost of Rs 2250 million and ‘Red Line Detail Design through-ADB Assisted PDA-PC-II’ at the cost of Rs 277.498 million have been announced in the Sindh budget of 2016-17. Similarly, many other projects for construction and reconstruction of schools, roads, hospitals and extension of existing hospitals are included in the planned annual development budget for Karachi.

Meanwhile, Sindh government has increased its annual funds allocation to 28 percent for the education sector in the budget 2016-17; presented in Sindh Assembly on Saturday.

Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in his budget speech said that the allocation of 28 percent was the largest chunk of the budget and it depicts the Sindh government’s vision and seriousness for promotion of literacy and quality education in the province. He elaborated that the next year’s allocation of Rs 160.7 billion for education also includes amount for higher education, technical education, special education and medical education. This was an increase of 11.2% over allocations of Rs 144.5 billion of the current fiscal year, he added.

He said the salary component of education department has increased by 7.4%, whereas the non-salary component had been increased by 23.8% adding that the key allocations in the non-salary budget of education include Rs 4.68 billion for school specific budget, Rs 5.5 billion for school infrastructure development and renovation of schools and colleges,

Rs 1 billion for education management organisations, Rs 1.5 billion for school management committees, Rs l.8 billion for school consolidation grants, Rs 2 billion for free textbooks, Rs 1.5 billion for girl stipends, Rs 27.3 million for energisation of schools, Rs 500 million for introducing innovative initiatives in education department.

The minister said the ADP allocation for education sector has been increased to Rs 17.2 billion including Rs 3 billion kept separately for boards and universities, Rs 1 billion for STEVTA and Rs 0.2 billion for special education. Besides provincial ADP, Rs 2.8 billion have been allocated for foreign funded projects of education department, which includes

Sindh Basic Education Programme with Rs 2 billion and upgrading of primary schools into elementary schools in Rural Sindh with Rs 137 million, he added.