Planning Commission has proposed an increase of over 700 percent in its FY2014-15 development budget to the National Economic Council (NEC) to be chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today (Thursday). A summary of the national development programme approved by the Annual Plan Co-ordination Committee (APCC) chaired by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal also proposed a substantial cut in water and education sector and massive increase in allocations to NHA.
The APPC has proposed to increase allocations for Planning, Development and Reform Division to Rs 82 billion for the next fiscal year from Rs 10 billion for the outgoing fiscal year. The documents also reveal that 25 percent of the National Development Programme has been proposed for construction of roads and bridges while the proposed allocations for water and education are significantly low for the next fiscal year as compared to the current fiscal year.
The proposed development allocations for education, training and standards in higher education are to the tune of Rs 3.399 billion for the next fiscal year, 35 percent less than Rs 5.237 billion allocations for the current fiscal year. Pakistan Muslim League-N had stated in its manifesto that resources for education sector would be increased to meet the UNESCO target of 4 percent of GDP by 2018. An amount of Rs 42 billion has been proposed for Water and Power Division (Water Sector), 26 percent less compared to Rs 57 billion for the current fiscal year.
The proposed amount of Wapda (power sector) allocations is Rs 70 billion, 37 percent higher than Rs 51 billion allocation for the current fiscal year but substantially less as compared to 79 per cent increase in allocation for NHA. An amount of Rs 113 billion has been proposed for NHA for the next fiscal year as compared to Rs 63 billion for the current fiscal year. Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Division would receive Rs 21 billion for the next fiscal year, which is 27 percent less than Rs 29 billion for the ongoing fiscal year.
Law and Justice Division budget has been proposed with a view to reducing it to Rs 2.352 billion for the next fiscal year from Rs 2.442 billion for the ongoing fiscal year and Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission''s to Rs 51 billion from Rs 52 billion, Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority''s to Rs 230 million from Rs 316 million.
The Planning Commission has proposed a massive increase of over 700 per cent allocation for its development programme for the current fiscal year with Rs 82 billion for 2014-15 against Rs 10 billion for 2013-14. Allocations for Ports & Shipping Division have been proposed at Rs 2.576 billion for the next fiscal year in comparison to Rs 500 million for the current fiscal year and Railways Division''s to Rs 39 billion for 2014-15 from Rs 30 billion in 2013-14.
The proposed allocations for Narcotics Control Division are Rs 324 million against Rs 326.3 million for the current fiscal year and National Food Security & Research Division''s Rs 1.071 billion against Rs 750 million for 2013-14. A marginal increase of around 4 percent has been proposed in the development budget for Health Services, Regulations & Co-ordination Division for 2014-15. The allocations for health sector have been proposed to rise to Rs 2.6814 billion for 2014-15 from Rs 2.573 billion for the ongoing fiscal year.
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