45.5 percent of total Rs 800 billion earmarked for PSDP released

The government has released Rs 363.98 billion (45.5 per cent), including Rs 118.6bn foreign aid, for different development projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2016-17 as against its total budget allocation of Rs 800bn.
According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform here the other day, the government has released Rs 78.8bn, which comes to 33.6pc of the total budget, and includes Rs 7.4bn foreign aid for development projects of various federal ministries against the total budget allocation of Rs 234.3bn.
However, the government is yet to release funds for development projects of Foreign Affairs Division, Textile Industry Division and Gas Infrastructure Development Fund.
The government has released Rs 111.4bn, including Rs 65.7bn foreign aid, for infrastructure projects of National Highway Authority (NHA) against the total allocation of Rs 188bn. The government has also released Rs 14bn for development projects of Pakistan Railways division as against total allocation of Rs 41bn for the current fiscal year 2016-17.
Planning Commission also released Rs 12.67bn, including Rs 7.3bn foreign aid, for different projects of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission against Rs 27.7bn earmarked for the current financial year. During the period under review, an amount of Rs 6.9bn was released for Water and Power Division (water sector) for the construction and development of reservoirs for water conservation, irrigation and power generations against the total allocation of Rs 31.71bn. A total of Rs 60.3bn, including Rs 34.6bn foreign aid, was released for WAPDA (power sector) for developing power projects against Rs 130bn earmarked under the head for the current fiscal year.
Under PSDP 2016-17, an amount of Rs 2.6bn was released for different development projects of Housing and Works Division against the total budget allocation of Rs 7.13bn. The government has also released Rs 514.9 million for different developmental projects of National Food Security and Research Division against Rs 15.2bn earmarked for development of the country's agriculture sector.
Another Rs 1.87bn was released for Capital Administration and Development Division, Rs 15.9m for Climate Change Division, Rs 460m for Defence Production Division, Rs 9.4bn for Interior Division, Rs 177.7m for Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority and Rs 2.32bn for Planning, Development and Reforms.
Under the PSDP 2016-17, the government has also released Rs 8.55bn for different projects of Higher Education Commission (HEC) as against the total Rs 21.486bn allocated for the purpose.
An amount of Rs 9.8bn has been released for the National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Division as against the total allocation of Rs 24.951bn in the PSDP for the uplift of the country's health sector. The government has also released Rs 49.2bn for special federal development programme for temporarily dislocated persons (TDPs) and security enhancement under the current year's development programme for the rehabilitation of TDPs as against the total allocation of Rs 100bn.
Besides, Rs 12.58bn, including Rs 3.6bn foreign aid, was released for development projects of Azad Jammu and Kashmir against the total budget allocation of Rs 14.7bn for current fiscal year. The government also released Rs 4.7bn for development projects of Gilgit-Baltistan against the Rs 11.1bn budget allocated under this head, while Rs 8.97bn have been released for the projects of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) as against the total allocation of Rs 22.3bn.
The Planning Commission of Pakistan has, so far, followed the stipulated mechanism for the release of funds; first quarter (July-September) 20pc, second quarter (October-December) 20pc, third quarter (January-March) 30pc and fourth quarter (April-June) 30pc.