Planning body meets today ahead of budget

ISLAMABAD: The Annual Planning Coordination Committee (APCC) is set to hold a crucial meeting on Monday to finalise recommendations for the federal development budget and annual economic plan for the fiscal year 2026-27, with the agenda for the session already prepared, sources said.

According to sources, the meeting will consider proposals for the next fiscal year’s development budget while also reviewing the performance and utilization of the development budget during the current fiscal year.

Development allocations for all federal ministries and divisions will come under detailed examination.

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Officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and the State Bank of Pakistan are expected to present their assessments and recommendations during the meeting.

The agenda also includes presentations on the annual development plans of the provinces and special areas.

Sources said the Ministry of Finance has proposed a ceiling of Rs1,126 billion for the federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for FY2026-27. In addition to the federal allocation, each province will formulate and implement its own annual development programme.

The APCC is also expected to formulate recommendations for the country’s annual economic plan and set key macroeconomic targets for the upcoming fiscal year. Sources indicated that the economic growth target for FY2026-27 is likely to be fixed at 4 percent or higher.

The committee will also discuss and prepare recommendations for growth targets in the agriculture, industrial and services sectors, which are considered the main pillars of the national economy.

In addition, the meeting will deliberate on inflation projections for the next fiscal year. According to sources, the average inflation target may be set between 8.2 percent and 8.6 percent.

The APCC will finalize its recommendations after reviewing proposals from relevant ministries, departments and provincial governments.

The meeting will also assess the federal development budget and annual economic performance during the current fiscal year to help shape policy priorities for the year ahead.

Following the meeting, the committee’s recommendations regarding the development budget and economic framework for FY2026-27 will be forwarded to the National Economic Council for final approval.