ISLAMABAD (APP) - The government has allocated Rs 583.161 million for Sports Division to execute 47 development projects, mostly related to the construction of news sports and residential facilities, under Public Sector Development Programme (2009-10). The allocated amount would be spent on 35 ongoing development schemes while only 12 new schemes are planned to be executed in fiscal 2009-10. All the projects would be executed by the government through its own expenditures as foreign funding is neither involved in ongoing schemes nor the new schemes. According to the estimate, the total expected cost of the ongoing 35 projects is Rs 1.04 billion while 12 new projects would incur Rs 1.6 billion. The mega projects, for which the allocation has been made under the PSDP for fiscal 2009-10, include construction of sports complex at Sukkur (Rs 489.553 million), Sports Complex at Narowal (484.848 million) and up-gradation of football stadium at Multan (Rs 356.881) while the allocation for none of the ongoing project exceeded Rs 100 million. The amount of Rs 462.661 million was thrown forward from the allocation made for ongoing schemes in fiscal 2008-09 while thrown forward cost of the new projects equals the current allocation as the planned projects might not have been initiated in previous fiscal year. The Sports Division spent Rs 587.107 million during the previous fiscal on the execution of different development projects some of which are: construction of boxing gymnasiums in Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and Karachi, sports medicine centre in Islamabad, sports stadium at Lora Lai, Zhob, Nankana Sahib, Patuki, Mianwali, Upper Dir, Tando Adam, Chunian and Mastung. Federations hail record allocation National and provincial sports bodies and officials have hailed record allocation of Rs 583 million in Federal Budget for the development of sports. "It is a landmark decision of the government to increase the funds to three times compared to previous allocation of Rs 140 million," said officials of the sports bodies. Those who hailed the considerable rise in allocation of funds included officials of Pakistan hockey, squash, athletics, wrestling, badminton, handball, taekwondo, karate, judo, cycling, volleyball, boxing, weightlifting, and other sports bodies as well as officials of provincial Olympic Association. POA welcomes budget raise The President of Pakistan Olympic Association, Lt Gen (retd),Syed Arif Hasan described the allocation of funds a step in right direction to develop sports at all levels. "Never before such an amount was allocated in the federal budget for the promotion of sports and we firmly believe we will be able to do better with provision of better facilities," he said. The POA chief said that the present government was doing a lot for the uplift of sports. "On behalf of Olympic family in Pakistan I congratulate the Government for allocating Rs 583 million for sports and look forward to similar steps and patronage from the government in order to help raise standards of sports in Pakistan," he said.