LAHORE: The Punjab government has proposed allocation of a total budget of Rs13.76 billion for forestry, wildlife and fisheries collectively for the year 2022-23 out of which Rs7.17 billion are proposed for the non-development and Rs6.59 billion for the development sector.

As per the budget documents, Rs1100 million development budget has been proposed for the fisheries sector to be spent on 14 ongoing and new schemes. Out of this Rs1,006 million has been proposed for 11 ongoing schemes and Rs93.321 million for three new schemes.

Similarly, Rs990 million has been proposed for 14 ongoing and new schemes in the wildlife sector with allocation of Rs740 million for seven ongoing and Rs249 million for seven new schemes.

A sum of Rs4.5 billion have been earmarked for 27 schemes of the forestry sector in the budget 2022-23 out of which 3.787 billion will be spent on ongoing schemes and Rs712 million have been earmarked for 10 new schemes.

Prominent schemes in these sectors are establishment of Dargai Gill forest Park at a proposed cost of Rs459.69 million, establishment of Biodiversity Hotspot for conservation of Rare Cholistan Desert Ecosystem at a cost of Rs370 million and strengthening of Protection Regime in Changa Manga Irrigated Plantation at a cost of Rs396.5 million. Besides, work will be carried on project of livelihood improvement and Green Job creation through ecosystem restoration in Punjab at a cost of Rs2 billion, revival of wildlife resources in Punjab under Green Pakistan Programme at a cost of Rs2.94 billion, cage culture cluster development project at Rs1.47 million, pilot shrimp farming cluster development project at a cost of Rs2.64 billion while the budget document shows that work will also continue on Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme during the year 2022-23.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022