Provinces, special areas, merged districts: Centre proposes Rs251.68bn for uplift projects

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has proposed an allocation of Rs251.683 billion for development projects in provinces, special areas, and the merged districts of the erstwhile FATA for the fiscal year 2026-27, including Rs2.5 billion in foreign assistance and Rs249.183 billion from local resources.

According to budget documents available with this correspondent, the federal government has proposed an allocation of Rs99.215 billion for ongoing development projects in the provinces during the fiscal year 2026-27.

The government has proposed Rs4.75 billion for 27 development projects in Punjab. A total of 15 development projects worth Rs3.34 billion have been transferred from the Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD) to the provincial government.

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The federal government has proposed a total allocation of Rs50.69 billion for five development projects in Sindh, Rs4.02 billion for 16 ongoing development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Rs39.754 billion for 57 development projects in Balochistan.

A total of 10 development projects worth Rs1.729 billion have been transferred from Pak PWD to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The government has also transferred 26 development projects at cost of Rs5.118 from Pak PWD to Balochistan.

A total of Rs66.367 billion has been proposed for three ongoing development projects in the merged districts.

The federal government has proposed a budget allocation of Rs47.05 billion for 19 development projects in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), including Rs43.105 billion for 11 ongoing schemes and Rs3.944 billion for eight new schemes. The government has also proposed a budget allocation of Rs39.05 billion for 19 ongoing schemes in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) for fiscal year 2026-27.

The federal government has proposed a budget allocation of Rs33 billion, including Rs32 billion from local resources and Rs1 billion in foreign assistance, as AJK Block Allocation, and Rs23 billion, including Rs22.7 billion from local resources and Rs300 million in foreign assistance, as GB Block Allocation for the fiscal year 2026-27.

For Punjab’s ongoing projects, the government has proposed Rs259.3 million for the widening, rehabilitation and construction of five roads in UC Paki Shah Mardan, UC Namal and UC Kot Chandana in District Mianwali; Rs329 million for the widening, rehabilitation and construction of seven roads in UC Shahbaz Khel, UC Rokhri and UC Pai Khel in Tehsil Isa Khel, District Mianwali; Rs285 million for the widening, rehabilitation and construction of eight roads in UC Manda Khel, UC Qamar Mashani, MC Kalabagh and UC Ban Hafiz Jee in District Mianwali; Rs300 million for the construction of REC/DECs offices in Faisalabad; Rs506 million for the construction of the road from Isa Morr to Siddiquepura (Phase-I and II); and Rs303 million for the construction of a 20-foot-wide metalled road from Bhatta Chowk to Ahmadpur in District Bahawalpur etc.

For Sindh projects, the federal government has proposed Rs19.181 billion for the extension and construction of the Sindh Coastal Highway (36 km), Phase-II; Rs666.575 million for the improvement of the road from Rohri to Guddu Barrage via Khanpur Mahar, Mirpur Mathelo and Mureed Shakh; Rs1.917 billion for the dualisation of the Tando Allahyar-Tando Adam Road; Rs18.48 billion for the dualisation of the Mehran Highway from Nawabshah to Ranipur; and Rs10.445 billion for the improvement of the road from Sanghar to National Highway N-5 via Mundh Jamrao and Salehput.

For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa projects, Rs508.194 million has been proposed for the establishment of a cardiology unit and burn/trauma unit at Category-A DHQ Hospital Malakand, Batkhela; Rs333.37 million for the Khyber Institute of Child Health and Children’s Hospital, Peshawar; and Rs910.68 million for the upgradation and rehabilitation of the Lawrencepur-Tarbela Road etc.

For Balochistan, the federal government has proposed Rs1.5 billion for the construction and upgradation of the Dirgai-Shabozai (N-70) to Taunsa Sharif (N-55) Road; Rs1.5 billion for the blacktopping of the Duki-Chamalang Road and link roads; Rs3 billion for the construction of the Panjgur-Gichak-Awaran Road; Rs1.5 billion for the Gwadar Safe City Project (Phase-I); Rs2.5 billion for the widening, improvement and reconstruction of the Khani Cross-Ziarat-Sinjhavi Road; Rs2 billion for the construction of the Sui-Kashmore Road; Rs3 billion for the construction of the Border Terminal at the Pak-Afghanistan Border, Badini, in District Qilla Saifullah; and Rs2 billion for the construction of the Provincial Assembly Building in Quetta etc.

For the merged districts, the federal government has proposed Rs37 billion for the 10-Year Development Plan (AIP), Rs29 billion for the merged districts’ Annual Development Programme (ADP), and Rs367.887 million for the construction of the Zera-Daboori Road in Orakzai.

For AJK’s new schemes, the federal government has proposed Rs1.377 billion for integrated solid waste management at nine district headquarters, Rs867.426 million for strengthening the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Rs400 million for infrastructure development at Poonch Medical College, Rawalakot, and Rs400 million for the computerisation of land records in the remaining 16 tehsils. For AJK’s ongoing schemes, the government has proposed Rs5 billion allocation under the Prime Minister’s Special Package, Rs1.149 billion for the 48MW Jagran-II Hydropower Project, Rs1.475 billion for the AJK Legislative Assembly Complex, and Rs299.74 million for the establishment of the 40MW Dowarian Hydropower Project in District Neelum.

For G-B projects, the federal government has proposed Rs4 billion allocation under the Prime Minister’s Special Package, Rs1.709 billion for 100MW distributed solar photovoltaic plants at various sites, Rs2.2 billion for the 16MW Naltar-III Hydropower Project, Rs900 million for the establishment of a 50-bed Cardiac Hospital in Gilgit, and Rs700 million for the Inter-Provincial Connectivity Economic Corridor through Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK (Thalichi-Shounter Road).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026