ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has authorised/disbursed Rs 135.41 billion (14.3%), including Rs 5.66 billion foreign exchange component, in July and August 2023-24 against Rs 950 billion total budgeted allocation for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
According to the Ministry of Finance’s notification, the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives authorised 15 percent funds for first quarter, 20 percent for second quarter, 25 percent for third quarter and 40 percent for fourth quarter under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2023-24.
Ishaq Dar-led finance ministry had approved Rs 131 billion exclusively for parliamentarians’ discretionary schemes on 17th June during the budget debate, equivalent to 15% of the budgeted allocation funds, for July-September 2023.
He also diverted Rs 20.26 billion that was to be surrendered under Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme outgoing fiscal year after the passage of a resolution by parliament to approve making SDG funds non-lapsable.
According to data available on the website of Ministry of Planning, Development and Special, Initiatives, total expenditures on development projects July-August 2023 are estimated at Rs 22.53 billion.
A total of Rs 93.734 billion has been authorised/disbursed out of Rs 653.22 billion budgeted allocations for federal ministries, divisions and other departments under PSDP 2023-24 while the amount of total expenditures on development projects is Rs 20.768 billion.
The ministry authorised Rs 37.42 billion out of Rs 156.5 billion budgeted for National Highway Authority (NHA) and Rs 4.01 billion out of Rs 55.3 billion development budget for power sector (NTDC/PEPCO) for the first two months of the current year.
According to the data, a total of Rs 61.28 billion has been authorised out of Rs 90.12 billion budgeted allocations for development projects for the Cabinet Division while Rs 14.4 billion has been expended. A total of Rs 818 million was authorised out of Rs 5.45 billion for development projects of the Aviation Division, Rs 150 million for the Climate Change Division, Rs 300 million for the Federal Education and Professional Training Division, Rs 6 billion for Provincial and Special Areas (previously, under FD/KA&GB), Rs 1.48 billion for Information Technology and Telecom Division, and Rs 1.5 billion for Railway Division.
The ministry also authorised Rs 1 billion out Rs 9.95 billion budgeted allocation for Interior Division, Rs 531.89 million out of Rs 13.1 billion for National Health Service, regulations and Coordination Division, Rs 120 million for Defence Division, Rs 60 million for Defence Production Division, Rs 9 billion out of Rs 40.68 billion for Housing and Works Division, Rs 500 million for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Division, Rs 500 million for Maritimes Affairs Division, Rs 550 million for Science and Technological Research Division, Rs 100 million for Finance Division, Rs 50 million for Petroleum Division and Rs 2.769 billion out of Rs 110.5 billion budgeted allocation for development projects of Water Resources Division.
A total of Rs 250 million out of Rs 80 billion budgeted allocations has been authorised for Prime Minister’s initiatives.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023