Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif has announced over Rs 20 billion developmental schemes that were not part of the Budget 2016-17 in the current fiscal year post-Panama Leaks to counter the opponents' criticism and win public support for the 2018 general elections.
These schemes are not included in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and would no doubt, if disbursed, enhance the budget deficit to unsustainable levels given that the revenue shortfall in July-April has been estimated at around Rs 150 billion.
"It is highly unlikely that the Ministry of Finance will release any of these funds before the next budget," sources in the Finance Ministry told Business Recorder on condition of strict anonymity.
On 11 May the Prime Minister visited Chichawatni Tehsil where he announced Rs 600 million development projects for constituencies NA-162 and NA-163. These constituencies are reportedly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) strongholds.
During his visit, the Prime Minister inaugurated a Model Cattle Market at a cost of Rs 230 million. Addressing the public gathering, the Prime Minister announced provision of natural gas to NA-162 and NA-163 constituencies and the construction of an expressway that would connect Chichawatni to the newly-constructed six-lane Lahore-Multan Motorway. He also announced a grant of Rs 250 million for development and beautification of Chichawatni city, Rs 100 million for the power supply system, establishment of a veterinary university campus, initiation of classes for Masters' programme in Government Crescent Women Degree College and Government Boys Degree College, and upgradation of technical and vocational institution in Chichawatni.
On 2 May the Prime Minister laid the foundation of Layyah-Taunsa Bridge over the Indus and announced several development projects for the south Punjab district, including gas supply to Karor tehsil and Fatehpur and Chowk Azam towns. The bridge is expected to cost Rs 7 billion and will be completed in two phases. On 14 April the Prime Minister announced a development grant of Rs 1 billion and mega development projects for Jacobabad. The development projects for the district include electrification of villages, gas supply, women vocational training centre and a Passco centre for wheat procurement.
On 28 April the Prime Minister announced a mega development package for Okara city NA-144 comprising an industrial estate, gas supply, upgradation of hospital, construction of a flyover and linking the city with motorways network. He further inaugurated a gas supply scheme for the city, besides breaking ground for Rs 740 million Dipalpur flyover bridge to ease the traffic congestion. He also committed to a gas supply project at an estimated cost of Rs 450 million, a flyover with an estimated cost of Rs 740 million and Rs 300 million grant for the uplift of the city roads and construction of new ones.
On March 8 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a health package in Thatta which includes the issuance of health cards for local residents and the construction of a 500-bed hospital. He also announced gas supply scheme to hundreds of villages of Thatta and Sujawal, at an estimated cost of Rs 1.1 billion. While addressing the public gathering in Thatta the Prime Minister also announced Rs 500 million for Gharo to Keti Bunder road and Rs 200 million for water supply and sanitation schemes in each of the two districts. On November 11, 2016 PM inaugurated Sangla Hill interchange at a cost of Rs 299.2 million on Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad Motorway Section M-4.
On 4 November 4, the Prime Minister announced various development projects for Kahuta and Kalar Sayedan area of Rawalpindi including the construction of a 100-km-long Kahuta-Rawalpindi Highway, electricity and gas projects, and an upgrade of 12 schools to higher secondary level, a university for women, a state-of-the-art hospital and a grant of Rs 500 million to develop the tourism industry in Kahuta and surrounding areas.
On October 28 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif performed groundbreaking ceremony of a gas project at cost of Rs 3.9 billion in Kohat city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where his rival PTI is in government.
On October 21 while speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate the PM's Health Card scheme in district Rahim Yar Khan South Punjab the Prime Minister announced the construction of 50 new hospitals. He said that the poor will get treatment at both private and public hospitals and if their medical bill is above Rs 300,000 the government will provide assistance.
The Prime Minister has used his discretionary powers to relax the moratorium on gas connections for 55 constituencies of PML-N parliamentarians, including federal ministers, at a cost of Rs 27 billion. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the Prime Minster is announcing development schemes to divert the attention of the people from the Panama Case. He also claimed that such announcement can be termed as planned pre-election rigging which is a violation of elections laws.
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