ISLAMABAD - The government’s spending on Poverty Reduction Strategy Programme (PRSP) increased by 10.5 percent during the first quarter (July-September) of current fiscal year over a year ago.

The federal and provincial governments spent Rs 462.7 billion on the PRSP during July-September of the year 2017-18 as compared to Rs418.8 billion in the same period last year. The PRSP initiative was launched in 2000 with close collaboration of international lending agencies aimed at improving and monitoring pro-poor spending in Pakistan. Spending on health, education, law and order, subsidies, construction of roads, rural development, low cost housing and other sectors are part of the PRSP expenditures.

Spending of the federal and provincial governments on roads, highways and bridges reduced by 15.8 percent during first quarter of the ongoing financial year over a year ago. Federal and provincial governments spent Rs 44.5 billion on roads, highways and bridges as against Rs52.9 billion of the previous year.

Spending of the federal and provincial governments on health enhanced by 29.3 percent to Rs57.8 billion during first quarter of the year 2017-18. The federal government’s spending stood at Rs3.2 billion, followed by Punjab with Rs30.7 billion and Sindh with Rs11.5 billion. Spending by the KP government on health was Rs9.2 billion and Balochistan government spent Rs3.2 billion.

Meanwhile, spending of the federal and provincial governments on education went up by 17.17 percent to Rs160.6 billion during July-September of the current fiscal year. Spending of the federal government on education was recorded at Rs23.32 billion, Punjab Rs64.07 billion, Sindh Rs34.5 billion, KP Rs28.6 billion, and Balochistan Rs10.2 billion.

Combined spending of the federal and provincial governments on law and order remained Rs81.9 billion with Rs26.4 billion by federal government, Rs24.3 billion by Punjab, Rs17.1 billion by Sindh, Rs8.6 billion by KP, and Rs5.5 billion by Balochistan government. A total of Rs959 million have been disbursed through Baitul Mall by the federal government and total expenditure through Benazir Income Support Programme remained Rs24 billion.

Total expenditure on agriculture sector by federal and provincial government remained Rs34.6 billion.

The documents further revealed that spending of federal and provincial governments reduced by 18.6 percent to Rs7.9 billion on social security and social welfare during July-September of the year 2017-18. Similarly, spending on natural calamities and other disasters showed minor decline and was recorded at Rs2.6 million. Meanwhile, federal and provincial govts spent Rs389 million on land reclamation during first quarter of 2017-18, Rs 1.72 billion on rural development, Rs 9.6 billion on justice administration during July-Sept of the ongoing financial year and Rs25.12 billion on subsidies. The federal and provincial governments spent Rs 8.7 billion on environment/water supply sanitation and Rs2.11 billion on population planning during July-September 2017-18.