The Sharif administration envisages extending maximum support for road building in 2016-17 with the highest allocation under the Public Sector Development Programme for National Highway Authority (NHA) at Rs 190 billion. According to documents available with Business Recorder, allocation for the power sector comes second in terms of priority at Rs 130 billion however the government has allocated for the first time Rs 25 billion for Gas Infrastructure Development Fund which was budgeted last year to generate Rs 145 billion; followed by Railways at Rs 40.7 billion for 2016-17 (a decline from Rs 41 billion allocated in 2015-16).
Priority for water sector is in fourth place at Rs 31 billion. Unchanged in terms of allocation in 2016-17 is special development programme for internally displaced persons at Rs 100 billion and special federal development programme at Rs 28 billion, Millennium Development Goals and community development programme at Rs 20 billion and Prime Minister's Youth Programme at Rs 20 billion.
Federal tax ombudsman was disbursed Rs 10 million last year as budgeted however no allocation has been made for this department in 2016-17. Climate change division allocation for 2016-17 has been reduced from Rs 40 billion in 2015-16 to Rs 27 billion in next fiscal year.
Federal government has budgeted Rs 791 million and now it has proposed Rs 910 million for next financial year-2016-17. The budget of Interior Division has been proposed to increase to Rs 8.3 billion to Rs 9.7 billion while a total of Rs 587 million has been proposed for Petroleum and Natural Resources in next year as compare to Rs 349 million on-going year. The government also proposed to increase to Rs 13.68 billion to Rs 16.55 billion for Planning, Development and Reforms Division while budget for Statistic Division has been proposed to increase form Rs 100 million to Rs 200 million for next financial year.
Textile Industry Division allocation for 2016-17 has been reduced from Rs 165 million in 2015-16 to Rs 150 million for next financial year. The projects initiated before 2010 having throw-forward of up to Rs 15 million or less are not being proposed for allocation during 2016-17. However, such projects will be provided resources during the year for completion or for clearing financial liabilities, if any while bricks and mortar projects discouraged. In addition, Rs 175 billion was invested in energy sector by Wapda/NTDC/Pepco through self finance making total energy sector allocation at Rs 320 billion.