The Punjab government has proposed to allocate an amount of Rs 345 billion for the Annual Development Programme 2014-15 that includes Rs 290 billion for regular development programme and Rs 40 billion for other development initiatives with Rs 15 billion for special initiatives.
The main objectives of the Annual Development Programme 2014-15 would be; overcoming energy shortage, export oriented industrial cum agricultural growth, enhance productivity and competitiveness in the production sector, development of human capital and skills, equitable regional development, institutional reforms and governance, encourage public private partnership, gender mainstreaming, effective security through better law & orders.
As per the budget document, the important features and new initiatives included in ADP 2014-15 are; focus on completion of ongoing schemes with an allocation of Rs 155 billion, regional balance in allocation of resources with extra weight (36 percent) for 11 districts of Southern Punjab, adequate funding for foreign aided and mega projects, continued focus on undertaking projects that can be completed within one / two years to control throw forward, allocation of Rs 119 billion for social sectors investments with major focus on education (Rs 48 billion) and health (Rs 31 billion), continued strategic interventions in large cities to realise their potential as engines of growth. Allocation of Rs 40.4 billion for Urban Development Sector including allocation of Rs 10 billion each for Mass Transit System for Rawalpindi and Multan.
Besides, enhanced allocation of Rs 35.5 billion for Irrigation Sector as compared to Rs 22 billion during 2013-14, allocation of Rs 31 billion for investment in the energy sector to overcome power shortages in the province, allocation of Rs 30 billion for Women Empowerment initiatives over and above the combined expenditure as both male & females are also part of the objectives.
The ADP 2014-15 also include allocation of Rs 12 billion for District / TMA Development Programme, allocation of Rs 7.96 billion for Agriculture Sector and Rs 5.2 billion for Livestock & Dairy Development Sector, an allocation of Rs 7.4 billion for Governance & Information Technology, allocation of Rs 7.1 billion for Industries Sector, allocation of Rs 6 billion for Skills Development Programme, allocation of Rs 5 billion for Provision of Water Filtration Plants for clean drinking water, allocation of Rs 1.3 billion for Integrated Development of Cholistan, allocation of Rs 1 billion for Establishment of Punjab Police Command, Control and Communication Centers. Resources allocated for ADP are divided among different sectors on the basis of their importance in the light of policies of the government. In this way, ADP is an important instrument to expand provision of service delivery and to accelerate economic growth in the province.
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