Staff Reporter
Islamabad
The federal government has so far released Rs 50.4 billion for various ongoing and new social sector uplift projects under its Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2019-20, as against the total allocation of Rs 701 billion.
Under its development program, the government has released an amount of Rs 13.19 billion for federal ministries, Rs 2.7 billion for corporations, and Rs 7.3 billion for special areas, according to a data released by Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform.
Out of these allocations, the government released 26.78 billion for security enhancement in the country for which the government had allocated Rs 32.5 billion during the year 2019-20.
Similarly, for Higher Education Commission an amount of Rs 4.45 billion out of its total allocation of Rs 29 billion while Rs 4.3 billion were released for Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission for which the government allocated Rs 24.4 billion for the corresponding period.
For National Highway Authority, the government allocated a sum of Rs 154.9 billion while so far an amount of Rs 2.7 billion has been released under the programme.
Under annual development agenda, the government also released Rs 1.4 billion for railways division out of total allocation of Rs 16 billion, Rs 750 million for Interior Division, and Rs 865 million for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Division.
SUPARCO received Rs 365.8 million out of its total allocation of Rs 6.03 billion whereas Revenue Division received Rs 198.15 million out of total allocation of Rs 1.9 billion.
The government also released Rs 4.6 billion for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) block and other projects out of its allocations of Rs 27.26 billion and Rs 2.6 billion for Gilgit Baltistan (Block and other projects).
The Planning Commission of Pakistan follows the specific mechanism for release of funds. During first quarter (July-September) it releases 20 percent of development funds, in second quarter (October-December) 20 percent, third quarter (January-March) 30 per cent and fourth quarter (April-June) 30 percent.
