Islamabad - The federal government has allocated around Rs92,233 million for health, education and professional training in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for fiscal 2017-18.
Out of the total allocation of Rs1001 billion for the national PSDP during upcoming fiscal year, more than 9.2 per cent allocation has been made for health and education sectors. Last year total allocation for the sectors was Rs18,423 million of the PSDP for fiscal 2016-17.
As per information available with The Nation, a surge has been observed in allocation of funds for the health and education sectors under Capital Administration & Development Division (CA&DD), Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Ministry of National Health & Regulation (NHS) has been given less share in next fiscal year.
As per details, total of Rs5395 million have been allocated for the projects of CADD in 2017-18 fiscal. And out of the total amount, Rs2063.469 million have been set for education sector in the federal capital. The set amount includes Rs281.300 million as Foreign Exchange Component (FEC) while Rs2402.169 as local component.
Meanwhile, health sector in the federal capital has been given Rs263.469 million, including Rs75 million of foreign components and Rs2402.169 of local PSDP. Around 422 educational institutes and two major hospitals of the federal capital, including Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Federal Government Polyclinic (FGPC) are working under the Ministry of CADD.
The ministry had announced up-gradation of educational institutes infrastructure under Prime Minister Education Reforms Programme (PERM) and increasing the capacity of both hospitals.
The total local component for the fiscal 2017-18 for CADD is Rs5,038.468 million. Though the education has become a provincial subject after the 18th amendment but the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training which is running programmes in limited capacity has been also given more share than previous fiscal 2016-17. In PSDP 2017-18, Rs2,961.926 have been allocated for the development projects under the ministry.
Meanwhile, statistics show that higher education has been given top priority as a huge amount has been set for the sector.
Rs35,662.801 have been allocated for higher education in the next fiscal of PSDP. In the set amount, Rs616.331 is foreign exchange component while Rs35046.470 is local.
For NHS Ministry, Rs48217.752 million has been set in next fiscal under PSDP. Health department was also devolved after 18th amendment but number of health care programmes, including T.B, AIDs and blood transfusion are being run under the ministry in different jurisdictions.
In the allocated amount Rs1377.180 is foreign exchange component.
In previous fiscal 2016-17 Rs1,849.307 were allocated for CADD, Rs512.764 million for federal education and professional training, Rs8474.980 million for higher education and Rs7586.440 for NHS.