ISLAMABAD: The Federal government has released 1.31 percent more for various development projects in 2020-21 against the budgeted allocation due to Rs17.1 billion additional disbursement of foreign aid under the Public-Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

This was revealed by Muhammad Asif Sheikh as Advisor /Consultant on Development Budget while talking to Business Recorder.

The federal government released Rs658.5 billion (101.31 percent) till 26 June 2021 (including Rs89.67 billion foreign aid for various ongoing and new development projects against the budgeted Rs72.57 billion) with the total budgeted allocation of Rs650 billion.

According to the latest PSDP data 2020-21 released by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, the government released Rs425.75 billion (99.5 percent) including Rs28.866 billion for development projects of various ministries, divisions, and related departments out of Rs427.8 billion budgeted allocations. The budgeted allocation of foreign aid was Rs24.78 billion while Rs28.866 billion was disbursed, which is Rs4.1 billion additional.

A total of Rs1.1 billion foreign aid has been disbursed against Rs850 million budgeted allocation for development projects of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Division. A total of Rs3.44 billion foreign aid has been disbursed against the actual Rs1.28 billion budgeted allocation for development projects of Maritime Affairs Division. An amount of Rs7.55 billion foreign aid has been released out of Rs1.84 billion budgeted allocation for the year 2020-21.

The government also released a total of Rs166.68 billion, including 58.74 billion out of Rs149.7 billion for development budget of corporations which is 17 billion additional; a total of Rs115.45 billion has been released for development projects of the National Highways Authority (NHA) out of Rs114.67 billion budgeted allocation, and Rs51.24 billion against the budgeted Rs35.1 billion has been released for the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC)/Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco).

The ministry released a total of Rs37.066 billion out of Rs39.5 billion budgeted allocation for development projects of special areas; Rs23.4 billion for development projects of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) against the budgeted Rs24.5 billion, and Rs13.67 billion out of the budgeted Rs15 billion for Gilgit-Baltistan for financial year 2020-2021.

The government released Rs11.25 billion out of the budgeted Rs12.2 billion for development projects of the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Division.

A total of Rs24.1 billion out of Rs24.1 billion has been released for development projects of the Cabinet Division.

The government released Rs103.34 billion for development projects of the Finance Division against Rs104.47 billion budgeted allocation for financial year 2020-2021.

The Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms released Rs10.87 billion for development projects of the Railway Division against Rs11.38 billion budgeted allocation, Rs1.68 billion for development projects of Science and Technology Research Division, and Rs7.79 billion for the National Food Security and Research Division.

The government released Rs28.12 billion for development projects of the Higher Education Commission out of Rs29.47 billion budgeted allocations, and Rs8.17 billion for development projects of the Federal Education and Professional Training Division out of Rs8.32 billion budgeted allocation.

The ministry released a total of Rs71.94 billion for the Water Resources Division, Rs323.7 million for the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Rs1.34 billion for the Petroleum Division, and Rs10.15 billion for the Planning Division.

The government has released Rs6 billion for development projects of Climate Change Division, Rs10.74 billion for development projects of Interior Division, Rs16.7 billion for Housing and Works Division, Rs6.24 billion for Information Technology and Telecom Division, Rs582.45 million for the Aviation Division, and Rs1.26 billion for Defence Production Division. The government has released Rs1.5 billion for development projects of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra), Rs53.95 million for Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony Division, Rs253.47 million for Information and Broadcasting Division, Rs183.44 million for Human Rights, and Rs155.164 million for the development projects of the Inter-Provincial Coordination Division.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021