By Asad Cheema
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has so far authorized release of Rs105.24 billion for various ongoing and new social sector uplift projects under its Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2020-21, as against the total allocation of Rs650 billion.
Under its development programme, the government has released an amount of Rs72.4 billion for federal ministries, Rs23..3 billion for corporations and Rs9.4 billion for special areas, according to a latest data released by Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform.
Out of these allocations, the government released Rs300 million for Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) for which the government had allocated Rs1.5 billion during the year 2020-21. For National Highway Authority, the government released Rs20.9 billion against its allocations of Rs118.67 billion, whereas for National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), an amount of Rs2.4 billion was released out of total allocation of Rs158.3 billion.
The government also released Rs13.5 billion for water resources division out of total allocation of Rs81.2 billion. An amount of Rs5.6 billion has been authorized to release for Higher Education Commission for which an amount of Rs29.4 billion has been allocated. Similarly Rs70 million were released for Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority for which the government had allocated Rs350 million in the development budget. Under annual development agenda, the government also released Rs4.7 billion for Railways Division out of total allocation of Rs24 billion, Rs2.9 billion for Interior Division, and Rs2.3 billion for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Division. Revenue Division received Rs283 million, whereas the Cabinet Division also received Rs13.4 billion for which an amount of Rs47.7 billion has been allocated for the year 2020-21. Likewise, the government also released Rs4.96 billion for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) block and other projects out of its allocations of Rs27.24 billion and Rs4.45 billion for Gilgit Baltistan (Block and other projects) out of total allocation of Rs25 billion.
