The Sindh government has estimated Rs 168 billion for Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the Financial Year 2014-15. This is Rs 17 billion less than the outgoing year's estimate of Rs 185 billion but 46 percent higher than the outgoing year's revised estimate of Rs 115 billion.
According to Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah the ADP is being made realistic in order to ensure that all the priority projects of the government are adequately funded and the releases for development projects are more predictable; thereby facilitating the project managers in better planning and management.
Presenting proposed budget of next fiscal year, he said that the Sindh Government with its limited resources is however taking full cognisance of Karachi problems. In this connection the transport problems of the citizens of Karachi is one of the main issues, therefore it has plan to launch two Bus Rapid Transit Projects. The yellow line will be undertaken in the PPP mode while an allocation of Rs 3 billion has been kept in the ADP for the Green Line. The project will be completed in 2 years and the balance allocation for the project will be kept in the budget for FY 2015-16, he added.
"We have proposed that in ADP 2014-15, Rs 8.62 billion may be allocated for Water & Drainage Sector with main emphasis on improvement of Irrigation and Drainage network and to restore the flood protection embankment on left and right banks of river Indus," CM said. Under the water projects up gradation of Keenjhar Lake for assuring water supply to Karachi at an estimated cost of Rs 3.42 billion.
While, restoration/rehabilitation of LBOD and Kotri Drainage Network System having a cost of Rs 3.5 billion; this project will facilitate passage of the storm-water safely in to the sea. The Sindh government has decided to install 250 Solar Tube wells of 2.0 cusecs each at a cost of Rs 2.08 billion. 250 tube wells on solar energy, having a cost of Rs 1.971 billion, for assured supply of 300 cusecs for Thar coal from LBOD Spinal Drain RD-362. In order to ensure supply of clean drinking water, particularly for the citizens of arid regions of the province, the peoples' government has undertaken a special initiative. An allocation of Rs 7.3 billion has been kept in ADP 2014-15 for installing750 more RO plants in Tharparker & for providing solar energy for 1050 Reverse Osmosis (R.O) plants installed in different parts of Sindh to overcome the problem of the power supply to these plants.
He said that keeping in view the health needs of Tharparkar and other remote regions of Sindh, a project of 12 bedded Mobile Health Unit is included in ADP with an allocation of Rs 1200 million. Another major initiative for poverty alleviation is Community Development Project, which supports the activities of social services by the private sector, NGOs and CBOs, in the field of Health, Education, Water and Sanitation, Skill Development, Woman Empowerment and Legal Aid. An allocation of Rs 200 million has been kept in ADP 2014-15 for this project.
A provision of Rs 567.81 million has been made in ADP 2014-15 for construction and renovation of temples in Karachi, Ghotki, Thatta, Sukkur, Matiari, Shikarpur, Sanghar, Tharparkar, Larkana, Umerkot and KhairpurMirs districts. Sindh government has earmarked Rs 1.5 billion for development schemes of prisons and police. The major schemes include rehabilitation and renovation of jails in Sindh and construction of new jails, residential accommodation for prison and police constables & head constables, new police stations and also for installation of mobile jammers and video surveillance system in jails across the Sindh.
"Though, we have reduced the size of our ADP, we have still kept a huge allocation of Rs 10.7 billion for education sector. A large number of schemes of construction and up gradation of schools and colleges are being implemented through this allocation. We are constructing 10 new public schools at Umerkot, Sanghar, T.M.Khan, Tando Allahyar, Ghotki, Matiari, Kamber-Shahdadkot, Gadap, Dadu & Jacobabad. Eight new cadet colleges are being established at Dadu, Gadap, Mithi, Khairpur, Karampur, Jacobabad, Badin & Tando Jam," CM said.
According to Sindh CM health sector is being given a very healthy allocation of Rs 13.2 billion in the ADP 2014-15. Pace of ongoing projects will be increased whereas 84 new initiatives will also start. Population Welfare Program An amount of Rs 1.76 billion has been kept in next year's ADP with a target to increase Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) from 30 percent to 45 percent in three years time. This will help in controlling population growth rate and reducing infant mortality rate and maternal mortality ratio, he mentioned.
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