Devolution of 230 PSDP projects: no consensus among federal, provincial governments yet

The federal and provincial governments have not been able to evolve consensus over devolution of 230 development projects worth Rs 33 billion during the current fiscal year after the approval of 18th Constitutional Amendment, it was learnt.
Sources said that with the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment, these projects were to be devolved along with 18 ministries to the provinces. However, a decision is yet to be taken on transfer of these projects to provinces.
The planned financing of these projects for the next five years was worked out at Rs252 billion. The federal government has allocated Rs 33 billion for the execution of these projects in the current fiscal year and was supposed to transfer the allocation Rs 17 billion to Punjab, Rs 8.5 billion to Sindh, Rs 4.6 billion to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Rs 3.2 billion to Balochistan after the passage of the 18th Amendment.
According to planned financing, the federal government would release Rs 126.1 billion to Punjab government for these projects in the remaining five years. Of the planned financing, Rs 30.9 billion would be transferred to the Punjab government in 2011-12, Rs 27.6 billion in 2012-13, Rs 36.7 billion in 2013-14, Rs 29.7 billion in 2014-15 and Rs1.2 billion in 2015-16.
Sindh would receive Rs 63.6 billion for these projects on account of balance cost in the next five years. Of the planned financing, Rs 16.3 billion would be transferred to Sindh government in 2011-12, Rs 14.2 billion in 2012-13, Rs 17.5 billion in 2013-14, Rs 14.2 billion in 2014-15 and Rs 1.3 billion in 2015-16. The planned financing to be transferred to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan for these projects in the remaining five years is Rs 41.4 billion and Rs 22 billion, respectively.
The KPK would receive Rs10.8 billion in 2011-12, Rs 8.8 billion in 2012-13, Rs 12 billion in 2013-14. The federal government would transfer to KPK Rs 8.9 billion and Rs 0.9 billion in 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively. Similarly, the federal government would transfer Rs 64.5 billion to Balochistan for these projects in 2011-12, Rs 55.8 billion in 2012-13, Rs 72.1 billion in 2013-14, Rs 57.1 billion in 2014-15 and Rs 3.4 billion in 2015-16.