PESHAWAR – Expecting a handsome increase in receipts from the Federal Government on account of oil and gas, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government has firmly decided to raise development funds share of concerned districts from 5 per cent to 10 per cent by July 2012.
Surely, the share of these districts where well heads of oil/ gas are located would go up from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Finance Engineer Humayun Khan said while speaking at post-budget press conference here on Saturday.
With a handsome increase this year, it has been estimated that the Federal Government would release Rs 22.1575 billion to KPK in head of oil-gas royalty against Rs 13.805 billion for 2011-12. By doping so, KPK government would also increase share of districts where wells of oil-gas are located, he said.
Flanked by KP Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussasin, Finance Minister said that keeping in view energy crisis, ANP-led government had set aside Rs20billion for various electricity projects in the province. Preparation of feasibility reports was the main cause of delay in launching work on these projects, he informed.
This year too much funds have been allocated for education, health and law and order. Besides, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical College would also be establishd in Peshawar, while with assistance of a private firm, about 800 cancer patients would be provided free of cost treatment facility. Replying to a query, Khan said that laptop scheme was not being initiated for political reasons, but, only deserving students would be benefited. For distribution and purchase, an impartial and transparent mechanism would be adopted. Like, we have made sure fairness in Bacha Khan Khpal Rozgar Scheme. With same spirit, “We will try our level best to ensure 100 percent transparency in distribution and purchasing of laptop” he said.
For fiscal year 2012-13, the KP government, he informed, had estimated Rs303billion general revenue receipts, showing approximately 22 percent increase against outgoing year 2011-12. Of which, Rs 183.68 billion were expected from Federal Government in account of different taxes, while Rs22.60billion would be provided to KP in head of financial assistance in war on terror, he said.
In head of net hydel arrears, KP would get Rs25billion for 2012-13, and Rs6billion in electricity profit, while KP’s own revenue receipts were expected to be Rs7.812billion for 2012-13.
Giving the details of Annual Development Program (ADP), he said that total size of the ADP was over Rs 97 billion, which also included Rs 23.258 billion foreign assistance for different developmental projects to be carried out in the province this year. About 84 percent share of this foreign assistance would be given to KP as a grant.
In the last five years, size of the AD had increased 162percent, which he claimed reflected performance of the provincial government. A total of 940 projects, 667 ongoing and 273 new had been included in the ADP for 2012-13. He said that PC-I of the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) had been prepared in 2006, this project, if commenced would cost Rs6billion. World Bank has prepared feasibility report and design of the project, and a copy of which, has also been submitted to the KP government.
Estimated revenue and expenditures for 2012-13 are same to same Rs 303 billion, so, it was a balanced budget, Finance Minister Engineer Humayun Khan said, adding in order to uplift living standard, Rs 13.942 billion would be spent on about 12 peoples friendly projects. These programmes, he said, also included Bacha Khan Khpal Rozgar scheme, Riwayati Hunarmand scheme, Satoori Da Pakhtunkhwa scheme and Rokhana Pakhtunkhwa scheme. To give relief to salaried class, 20 raise in salaries and pension had been announced for which Rs15billion had been earmarked, he concluded.