The federal government has released the entire budgeted amount of Rs 12.5 billion for Pakistan Millennium Development Goals (Pak-MDGs) and Community Development Programme (CDP) during this week. This was revealed on the website of Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms.
Sources told BR that the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms has handed over these funds to the Cabinet Division for onward allocation for the MDG projects which would be carried out at the district level across the country, including backward areas in consultation with and demand of the community.
However, as there is no local government system in the country right now and these projects are to be launched at district levels and community, it has been proposed for district and community level personnel to forward their demands through District Co-ordination Officers (DCO) of the area.
According to sources, the Finance Ministry had decided in the second week of this month to release the entire budgeted amount of Rs 12.5 billion on Pak-MDGs and Community Development Programmes in the current fiscal year. A total of more than Rs 225.6 billion was released under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for various projects against total allocations of Rs 525 billion for the fiscal year 2014-15.
According to latest data released by Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, the government has released Rs 137.3 billion including Rs 16.4 billion foreign aid for projects of various federal ministries against the total budgeted allocation of Rs 258.6 billion including Rs 28.21 billion foreign aid for the current financial year.
The government has released Rs 45.2 billion including Rs 32.2 billion foreign aid for corporations [National Highway Authority (NHA) & WAPDA (Power)] while Rs 25.36 billion has been released for special areas (AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, and FATA) against the allocation of Rs 41.2 billion for fiscal year 2014-15. The Planning Commission has released Rs 33.996 billion including Rs 5.3 billion foreign aid for Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), out of its total allocations of Rs 51.475 billion, earmarked under PSDP for FY 2014-15.
The government has released Rs 26.996 billion for Railways Division for which Rs 39.566 billion had been earmarked in the PSDP of financial year 2014-15. An amount of Rs 2.1 billion has been released for Cabinet Division out of its total allocation of Rs 2.77 billion whereas Rs 3.05 billion has been released for Communications Division (other then NHA) out of the budgeted Rs 3.152 billion.
The government released Rs 7.83 billion for Higher Education Commission (HEC) out of its total allocations of Rs 20 billion whereas Rs 18.5 billion has been released for Water and Power Division (Water Sector) out of its total allocation of Rs 43.43 billion for the current fiscal year.
The Planning Commission has released Rs 260 million for Commerce Division Rs 3.88 billion for Finance Division, Rs 2.483 billion for Interior Division, Rs 414 million for National Food Security and Research Division, Rs 26.8 billion including Rs 10.5 billion foreign aid for National Health Services, Regulations and Co-ordination Division, Rs 455 million for Planning, Development and Reform Division and Rs 54.5 million for Narcotics Control Division, Rs 547 million for Science and Technological Research Division and Rs 40 million for Textile Industry Division.
The government released Rs 8.4 billion for AJK out of its allocations of Rs 12.86 billion, Rs 4.26 billion including Rs 58.68 million foreign aid for the projects of Gilgit-Baltistan out of its total allocation of Rs 9.23 billion and Rs 12.7 billion including Rs 803.6 million foreign aid for FATA out of total budgeted Rs 19.1 billion. Health and education has devolved to the provinces under 18th Constitutional Amendment, but the Finance Ministry continued financing of vertical programs of health, population and programs of higher education and training as per decision of Council of Common Interests (CCI).
The sources said the Finance Ministry under directions of National Economic Council (NEC), conducted quarterly reviews with the line Ministries to assess financial and physical progress of the budgeted projects. The sources said the government has directed the line ministries for smooth and timely execution of development projects including diversion of funds from slow moving to fast moving projects.