On Monday in the provincial fiscal budget Sindh government has earmarked Rs 90 billion for Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the budget 2009-10, which is 34 percent higher than the revised development budget for outgoing fiscal year 2008-2009.
Out of total Rs 90 billion, the Sindh government would spend Rs 75 billion for the province while Rs 12 billion would be utilised for district governments' development plan. The total size of the ADP would swell to Rs 113 billion after including Rs 16.6 billion federal PSDP grants and Rs 6.3 billion for foreign project assistance.
Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has appraised the plan to meet the next provincial fiscal budget deficit, while presenting a budget for 2009-10 before the provincial assembly on Monday. He said the government would impose ban on wasteful expenditures including vehicles, ceilings, unnecessary foreign visits, etc to meet fiscal deficit budget for 2009-10.
The Sindh government has allocated Rs 15 billion to expand the Social Protection Programmes (SPP). It includes: Rs 2.5 billion for BBSYDP targeting around 75,000 youth for skill training in coming fiscal, strengthen and rehabilitate at least 30 to 40 technical and vocational institutions across the Sindh, grant of state land to around 5,000 landless Haris to serve some 0.1million population, expansion of UC based poverty reduction programme to other districts and the creation of around 20,000 new positions in education, and police departments in particular.
Rs 4 billion has been earmarked for Benazir Women Support Programme (BWSP), which would target 0.5 million women, to support incomes of the poor. While, around Rs 2 billion has been allocated for 'School Nutrition Programme' to provide minimum nutrition to the children especially, poor.
The Sindh government has reserved Rs 24.2 billion for police for FY 2009-10, which is 11 percent higher than the last year. It adds provision of Rs 1.2 billion for vehicles, surveillance system, arms and ammunition.
In the health sector, the budget has been increased by 49 percent from Rs 3.5 billion to Rs 5.23 billion for 2009-2010. This amount would be spent to establish burns and thalessaemia centres and cardiac units in major hospitals besides strengthening the medical services across the Sindh.
In education sector, the government has allocated around Rs 6 billion, which is 27 percent higher as compared to the last fiscal year. The funds allocated under education budget will be used to finance free distribution of textbooks to over 4.3 million school children, Rs 1.25 billion for higher education, and Rs 2.5 billion for school rehabilitation programme.
The water and sanitation portfolio has been pitched at Rs 3.79 billion for 272 water supply and drainage schemes as against revised allocation of Rs 2.76 billion during 2008-2009. About 60 water supply schemes and 66 drainage schemes would be completed next year benefiting 0.277 million population with water supply facility and 0.216 million population with drainage facility.
The Sindh government has earmarked Rs 2 billion for Thar Coal Infrastructure Package particularly the establishment of model quarries at Thar and Thatta and the construction of Airstrip at Islamkot.
The provincial ADP allocated Rs 1 billion for village electrification and Rs 900 million for the provision of Sui gas to villages. The allocation for agriculture has been raised by 89 percent from Rs 2.3 billion last year to Rs 4.8 billion for FY 2009-10 to boost the productivity and to better the incomes of farm.
The government has allocated Rs 3.2 billion in 2009-10 for Livestock and Fisheries sector, which is 36 percent higher as compared to the last fiscal year allocation of Rs 2.4 billion, Rs 900 million would be spent to establish Sindh Diary and Meat Development Company while remaining would be utilised in the development of Lady Livestock workers, rehabilitation of the demonstration of farms at Gharo, improving the environment conditions at Karachi Fish Harbor, etc.
The existing mega city development programme for Karachi is being taken-up and this would now specifically focus on the transport sector. Under this programme, the provincial government will go for mass transit means such as light rail that can provide solution to traffic congestion's anticipated for the next few decades.
Therefore, the government has allocated Rs 200 million for mass transit system and Rs 1.02 billion for different road projects of Karachi. A development package of Rs 2 billion for various priority schemes for Karachi including components for Lyari, Malir Keamari and Rural Karachi has been provided, which also includes on-going and new schemes in water, sewerage and transport sectors.
The government would spend Rs 13.55 billion on development of road. Out of this amount, Rs 9.2 billion has been allocated for on-going schemes for attaining early completion. In terms of strategic arteries and bridges, the Khairpur-Larkana bridge over Indus will be undertaken by National Highway Authority (NHA) and another bridge on Indus from Sakrand to Amri has also been included in federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
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