ISLAMABAD - The government has made special allocation to start construction of Bhasha Dam and Mohmand Dam and enhanced water sector allocation from Rs 36 billion to Rs 65 billion for next fiscal year.
Pakistan is facing acute water scarcity requiring special interventions and that was why authorities concerned increased allocation to conserve water and its augmentation during 2018-19.
The Annual Development Plan (ADP), highlighting initiatives under Public Sector Development Programme for next fiscal, on Sunday showed that to start construction of Bhasha Dam and Mohmand Dam, Rs 23 billion and Rs 2 billion have been earmarked respectively.
The others water sector projects includes seven new schemes worth of Rs 849 billion to be started in 2018-19 to conserve and augment water resources. These new schemes are National Flood Protection Plan-IV, Diamer Basha Dam Project (Dam Part), CRBC 1st lift cum Gravity Project DI Khan, Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project (Dam Part), Lining of KB Feeder Upper Canal for Water Supply to Karachi City, Rehabilitation and Modernization of Sukkur Barrage (90 per cent WB, 10 per cent federal) and Construction of Feeding Canal to Manchar Lake to eradicate contamination.
Similarly, for fast track development of Special Areas, Rs 62 billion (AJK Rs22 billion, GB Rs15 billion and FATA Rs 25 billion), have been allocated.
Special Areas have been authorized to ensure that fruit of development reach to the common man.
Moreover, the document further revealed that an amount of Rs 57 billion have been allocated for Education Programmes including Higher Education.
A few initiatives in the Higher Education Sector include Enterprise Resource Planning System and IT Training for 100,000 Youth, Modernization and up-gradation of Labs in Engineering Universities, Establishment of Center of Excellence in Cyber Security, Robotics & Automation and Establishment of Center of Cooperation of Civilizations.
Availability of power has encouraged the entrepreneurs to expand production, thus creating surplus for export. To display export items and attract importers holding expos is very important.
Beside construction of expo centers in Peshawar, Islamabad and Quetta, expo center of Karachi costing Rs 8,000 million is proposed to be upgraded.
In order to bring FATA in the mainstream, ten years development plan with total outlay of Rs 100 billion has been approved and during 2018-19, an hefty amount of Rs10 billion has been made for implementation of the plan. Engaging youth in productive activities is very important to keep them away from undesirable activities.
Programme to build 100 stadiums all over the country costing Rs 2,500 million has been initiated in consultation with Provincial Governments on 50:50 cost sharing basis.
Similarly, 400 vocational training institutes on cost sharing basis with the Provincial Governments are proposed to be set up all over the country. This would bridge the supply and demand gap of technical manpower required for China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
Special development programme to enhance security and rehabilitating infrastructure to ease out resettlement of Temporarily Dislocated Persons (TDPs), initiated during 2015-16, will continue with an allocation of Rs 105 billion.