PESHAWAR - The PTI-led-coalition government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday earmarked Rs208 billion for Annual Development Plan, which is 34 per cent of the total budget outlay of Rs603 billion for the year 2017-18.

In his budget speech, KP Finance Minister Muzaffar Said claimed that no new tax would be levied in the new budget. However, this time, some changes have been made in the existing tax regime, he said. About the ADP, he said that 82 per cent of the development plan comprised of foreign aid, adding that the ADP for the financial year 2017-18 consisted of 1,632 development schemes out of which 1,182 were ongoing and 450 were new.

The ADP for the upcoming fiscal year is also 29 per cent more than the amount allocated for the outgoing year’s development plan. The KP government’s own-resource component of the ADP would be Rs126 billion, he said. The foreign project assistance amounting to Rs82 billion would also include soft and low mark-up loans of Rs52.55 billion, the finance minister added. He said that Rs12 billion were allocated for 101 projects in health sector in the ADP of which Rs9.96 billion were set aside for 75 ongoing projects, while Rs2.4 billion for 26 new projects. The budget documents said that in the ADP, Rs4 billion had been reserved for 45 schemes of energy and power sector, while Rs7.5 billion would go to irrigation sector for carrying out 209 schemes out of which 192 were ongoing and 17 new.

The agriculture sector would receive Rs.3.99 billion for its 38 schemes, of which some Rs2.82 billion would be spent on completion of ongoing schemes while Rs1.17 billion for launching 21 new projects. Likewise, Rs20.32 billion was reserved for education both primary and secondary, while higher education would receive Rs.6.32billion. For industrial sector an amount of Rs. 1.64 billion has been earmarked for spending on 25 schemes, 17 ongoing and eight new. Similarly, Rs176 million would be sent on nine schemes of transport sector out of which five are ongoing and four new.

The forest sector would receive Rs2.7 billion. For local government and rural development department, the coalition government earmarked Rs4.58 billion for completion of 35 schemes. Besides, in the ADP, the KP government reserved Rs2.42 billion for home department under which 59 schemes have been planned. Among these, 40 are ongoing and 19 are new ones. The communication sector would get Rs13.73 billion for 349 schemes out of which 305 are ongoing and 44 are new. For housing sector Rs540 million has been earmarked for 16 schemes out of which seven are ongoing and nine new schemes.

The KP government has reserved an amount of Rs6.16 billion for rural development in the ADP, which would be spent on 30 schemes, of which 24 are ongoing and six are new. For provision of clean drinking water, Rs5.16 billion has been reserved for completion of 84 schemes out of which 68 are ongoing and 16 new ones.

Muzafar Said Advocate said that Rs40 billion was proposed for police which would help in improving law and order situation. The budgetary documents said that work on Rapid Bus Transit project in Peshawar would be launched in coming August at cost of Rs53 billion and be completed in eight months. For four economic zones one each in Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Karak and Mansehra will be established under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Rs28 billion would be provided to district governments in new financial year for initiating development schemes. Besides, the KP finance minister also announced 10 per cent increase in pay and pension of the government servants and merger of ad-hoc relief of 2010 in the basic pay.

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