ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives has recommended release of Rs2.45 billion (50 percent) out of the total budgeted allocation of Rs4.9 billion for the first quarter under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2020-21 for phase-I of the "Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme-Up Scaling of Green Pakistan Programme."

The total approved cost of the project is Rs125.184 billion, with the objective of planting trees all over the country, through the Ministry of Climate Change, the ministry said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.

So far, 280 million plants have been cultivated, planted and regenerated, while the project has given employment to 83,224 daily wage workers.

Secretary Planning Mathar Niaz Rana said that on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the government had facilitated the sponsoring and executing agencies in provision and releases of funds timely for smooth implementation of programme and projects.

The Billion Tree Tsunami was launched in 2014, by the Government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

According to the Public Sector Development Programme 2020-21, the total estimated cost of the six ongoing schemes of the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) was over Rs125.482 billion and around Rs9.231307 billion were spent on the projects till June 6, 2020, whereas Rs116.250942 billion were throw-forward till July 1, 2020, whereas Rs4.9 billion were allocated for this financial year.

The maximum funding was allocated for Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, which was Rs4.9 billion, whereas Rs9.051 billion had been spent and the total project cost was over Rs125 billion. The project was approved from the ECNEC on August 28, 2019.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020