Major chunk of fiscal year 2017 water uplift project funds allocated to Balochistan

A major chunk of water development projects funds, ie 37 per cent, has been allocated for Balochistan as compared to other provinces under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the financial year 2016-17.
According to documents available with Business Recorder, the federal government has budgeted Rs 31.72 billion for current financial year 2016-17 for a total of Rs 68 billion water development projects, including 49 ongoing and 19 new projects. The government has budgeted 8.7 per cent (Rs 2.8 billion) for Punjab, 32 per cent (Rs 10.2 billion) for Sindh, 16.6 per cent (Rs 5.26 billion) for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 37 per cent (Rs 11.7 billion) for Balochistan and 5.7 per cent (Rs 1.8 billion) for the national projects.
The total cost of ongoing projects is Rs 641 billion while throw-forward after July 2016 is Rs 256 billion. The documents further revealed that in first quarter, the Ministry of Water and Power had demanded Rs 6.91 billion (22.6 per cent) funds in current fiscal year for the projects, but the government released Rs 3.38 billion (11 per cent) for the water projects.
The provinces had demanded Rs 14.175 billion (46 per cent of total budgeted) in first quarter for water projects, but the government has released Rs 1.177 billion (8 per cent) for current fiscal year so far. Punjab province had demanded Rs 2.07 billion (6.7 per cent of total allocation), but the government has not released any fund so far. Sindh province had demanded Rs 4.2 billion (13.7 per cent of total allocation), but the government has released Rs 0.4 billion (9.5 per cent), while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had demanded Rs 2.7 billion (8.7 per cent) in the first quarter, but the federal government has released Rs 0.24 billion (9 per cent) for current fiscal year. Balochistan had demanded Rs 5.23 billion (17 per cent of the ministry's allocation) while the federal government has released Rs 0.54 billion (10 per cent of the allocation).
The government has budgeted Rs 0.5 billion (1.6 per cent) for Federal Flood Commission, while Rs 0.09 billion (18 per cent) have been released. According to the documents, the projects executed by Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) for Balochistan are detailed engineering design for Winder dam, Lasbela Balochistan, Naulong Storage Dam, Naulong Storage Dam, Jhal Magsi, Garuk Dam project, Kharan, Badin Zai Dam and Kachhi Canal Project etc.
The projects executed by the government of Balochistan but funded by federal government are: reconstruction of Shadi Kour dam, Bathoza storage dam, construction of 100 delayed action dams in Balochistan (Package -II, 26 dams), extension of Pat Feeder canal for utilisation of Indus water in Balochistan, construction of Basol dam, construction of Mangi Dam, construction of 100 small dams in tehsil Dobbandi, Gulistan, Qilla Abdullah, and Chaman, district Qilla Abdullah, construction of small dam in tehsil Khaliqabad, district Kalat, Burj Aziz Dam, and construction of 200 small check dams.