The Punjab government has presented Rs350 billion Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the financial year 2019-20 as a key policy instrument to execute the development vision, meet policy objectives and achieve development targets set by the government. Out of Rs350 billion development outlay, the Punjab government has allocated Rs125 billion for social sector, Rs88 billion for infrastructure development sector, Rs34 billion for production sector, Rs21 billion for services sector, Rs17 billion for other sectors, Rs23 billion for special programmes, and Rs42 billion for public private partnership programmes.
The development priorities of the Punjab government have shifted from hard infrastructure to progression of social sectors and human capital development in the province. Sustainable development in different sectors including education, healthcare and clean drinking water are our important priorities and a realistic ADP had been designed for these sectors.
To support and effectively manage the development portfolio of the province, government of the Punjab has formulated Punjab Growth Strategy 2023 that has served as a guide post not only for formulating Annual Development Programme of the province but also for the implementation and adoption of evidence based policies. This has helped in making the ADP formulation evidence based. The strategy focuses on regional equalization and efficient distribution of resources along with building human capital, skills through education, vocational training, and improvements in the healthcare system.
Moreover, the resolution of water crisis and boosting agriculture performance has also been given top priority. The ADP 2019-20 is fully aligned with the key focus areas of Punjab Growth Strategy. Furthermore, strengthening compliance with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), supporting Private Sector Development and Public Private Partnerships, fully capturing the potential of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are the areas the Government of Punjab is focusing on for growth and development. This year's development programme has also been made inclusive by explicitly addressing development needs of South Punjab and other less developed areas of Punjab.
According to the Planning & Development department, the province of Punjab today houses a large population of over 110 million people and the planning managers of the province are committed to providing a strategic road map with key interventions for the growth and development of the province and its people.
Prime focus of the ADP, therefore, is on the Human Development Agenda of the government at the forefront. Health and Education are at the top of the priority list and the ADP 2019-20 allocates a substantial portion to human capital development as investing in people is key to the sustainable development that the government envisages. The Government of Punjab is cognizant of the fact that people centric development rather than the infrastructure led growth and development, will pay dividends for the future of the province and the country.
I also forward to collaborate with our various development partners for projects on health, education, water & sanitation, environment, improving governance and service delivery in the province apart from this, the ADP 2019-20 focuses on industrial and agricultural development including skills development, supporting SMEs, working towards Public Private Partnerships and leveraging CPEC for realizing economic opportunities as key drivers of growth and development for the province.
Regional Equalization takes centre stage in the development planning for Punjab to remove the regional disparities as a result of ill managed development planning of the past. This year the ADP 2019-20 places special emphasis on removing all regional inequalities and through an evidence based and data driven approach guided by the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey that the P&D Board launched this year and the Punjab Growth Strategy 2023, we have been able to formulate a Development Programme that will improve the lives of the people who have been left at a great disadvantage in the past, 35 percent of the development spending has been allocated to South Punjab with no re-appropriation of any South Punjab funds to projects elsewhere.
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