19.6 percent of budgeted amount: government releases Rs 156.5 billion under PSDP

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ISLAMABAD: The Federal government released Rs 156.5 billion (19.6 percent of the total budgeted for the year) under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for various development projects against the budgeted allocation of Rs 800 billion for 2016-17. According to data on the website of Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, Rs 46.8 billion (19.97 percent of total budget) including Rs 3.7 billion foreign aid has been released for development projects of various federal ministries against the budgeted allocation of Rs 234.3 billion.

However, the government has yet to release any funds for development projects of Foreign Affairs Division, Textile Industry Division, National History and Literary Heritage Division and GAS Infrastructure Development Fund. The government released Rs 19 billion including 123.8 million foreign aid for infrastructure projects of National Highway Authority (NHA) against the budgeted allocation of Rs 188.8 billion and Rs 6.8 billion including Rs 6.7 billion foreign-aid for development projects of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) (Power Sector).

Federal government has released Rs 6.34 billion including Rs 3.6 billion foreign aid for Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. A total of Rs 13.5 billion has been released for Railway Division against the budget allocation of Rs 41 billion. The government has released Rs 2.65 billion for Interior Division, Rs 3.84 billion for Water and Power Division (Water Sector), Rs 5.51 billion out of 24.95 billion budgeted for National Health Services, Regulation and Co-ordination Division and Rs 255 million for Port and Shipping Division.

The government has released Rs 716.8 million of the budgeted amount of Capital Administration and Development Division, Rs 10.8 million for Climate Change Division, Rs 39.37 million for Commerce Division, Rs 57 million for Communications Division (other than NHA), Rs 81.4 million for Defense division, Rs 460 million for Defence Production Division, Rs 72.44 million for Establishment Division, Rs 339.7 million for Federal Education and Professional Training Division, Rs 750.87 million for Finance Division, Rs 1.91 billion for Housing and Works Division, Rs 4.4 billion for Higher Education Commission, Rs 268 million for Law, Justice Division and Rs 2.16 billion for Planning, Development and Reforms. The Commission also released Rs 5 billion for the development projects of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Rs 4.7 billion for Gilgit-Baltistan and Rs 8.3 billion for Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).