ISLAMABAD Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar Friday said that under special directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the federal government was fully committed to meet the target of expenditures of development funds under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2019-20. “The target of spending Rs 701 billion on the development projects will be fully met at any cost as the PM has issued clear direction in this regard and I have also conveyed my clear direction to the ministry to meet the target,” the minister said while briefing the media here. Giving breakup of previous years, Asad Umar said that during the years 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19, the expenditures ratio remained 96%, 86%, 92%, 66% and 83% respectively. Similarly, he informed that during first six months of the above mentioned years, the flow of funds by the government to the relevant ministries or departments remained 25%, 28%, 22%, 25%, and 21% whereas during same period of current year 27% of the total allocated funds had been released. Meanwhile briefing the media, Secretary Planning Zafar Hassan informed that out of 1034 projects, 171 projects were due to be completed by the end of current fiscal year. About completed projects during first six months of current fiscal year, he said 26,000 acres of additional irrigated land has been added by Kachi Canal phase-1 in Sui district of Balochistan and by June 2020, further 25000 acres will be added. He said Makhi-Farash link canal to supply water for Thar coal, in Sindh, earthwork has been completed and was presently supplying 20 cusecs and will supply 200 cusecs of water by July 2020 while two small dams in Sindh were completed in Nangar parker district – water scarce area to mitigate water crises in Thar. Additionally, Havelian Mansehra sec- tion of KKH Phase-2(Thakot-Havelian) was completed and inaugurated by Prime Minister of Pakistan in November, 2019 whereas Sukkur-Multan motorway (392 km) was opened for traffic in November, 2019, he added. –APP
