KARACHI - The ruling PPP government has allocated Rs168 billon under the Annual Development Programme (ADP), which include Rs25 billion for the districts’ share for the next fiscal year 2014-15.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah while presenting the provincial budget of next FY2014-15 in Sindh Assembly on Friday evening said that the provincial development outlay of Rs168 billion for next year 2014-15 is Rs17 billion less than budget allocation of Rs185 billion of the outgoing FY2013-14..
However, the provincial government revised the ADP of the outgoing year to Rs165 billion owing of the less releases from the federal government as well as lack of the capacity of the department to properly use it. Chief Minister said that that annual development programme is being made realistic in order to ensure that all the priority projects of the government are adequately funded and the releases for the development projects are more predictable, facilitating the project managers in better planning and management.
According to budget documents, the total development outlay of the Sindh province would be Rs215 billion, which include Rs168 billion for the provincial ADP (Rs143 billion for the provincial departments and Rs25 billion for the districts’ development schemes), Rs24.884 billion of the foreign funded projects, while the Rs14.474 billion of the federal grants for the uplift schemes and Rs8 billion block allocation of PM’s programme earmarked for the development projects of the Sindh province for next fiscal year.
In the total provincial ADP, the Rs90.065 billion allocated for the 1279 ongoing uplift schemes, while Rs52.934 billion for the 2937 new schemes in the next fiscal year. In the sector wise allocations, the provincial government has allocated Rs7.221 billion for 31 uplift schemes of the Agriculture department of the next fiscal year.
A total sum of Rs15.047 billion allocated for the education sector, which include Rs4.338 billion of the foreign funded projects being run in the education sector in the province. However, the allocation for the uplift schemes for the education sector from provincial kitty is Rs10.709 billion for next fiscal year. Similarly, a huge amount of Rs15.730 billion (including Rs2.505 billion of foreign funded project) had been allocated for the uplift schemes of the health department.
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The agriculture, which is backbone of the province, is also topmost in the list of development agenda of the PPP government as Rs7.222 billion has been allocated for 33 uplift schemes of the sector, which include Rs2.745 billion of the foreign funded projects in the next fiscal year.
A handsome amount of Rs3.149 billion for the Board of Revenue department especially for the computerisation of the revenue records of the province in the next fiscal year.
A significant sum of Rs1.602 billion has been allocated for uplift and preservation of the culture, tourism and antiquities in the province.
The Environment energy was among 3-Es of PPP’s manifesto but it received less importance in the budget allocations as only Rs155 million has been earmarked for the one new and 8 ongoing schemes of the environment in the next fiscal year.
Similarly, a forest department got Rs700 million for 10 uplift schemes; while wildlife department received only Rs111 million for its one new and three uplift schemes in the next fiscal year.
The irrigation department has received a sum of Rs12.938 billion for 310 uplift schemes mainly for drainage and reclamation, open canals and small dams’ projects in the province. The Sindh government planned to construct the small dam projects in the province. However, the Livestock Department received Rs1.695 billion, while the Fisheries got meager amount of Rs521.641 million for next fiscal year.
However, the minorities, who have been suffering of the alleged victimisation as well as attack on their worship places, also got meager amount of Rs567.810 million for total 13 uplift schemes in the province. Though, the Sindh province is always under risk and remained victim of natural calamities including water floods, droughts in the Thar area and cyclones in coastal belt of the province but the disaster risk reduction and preparations is not on the priority of the provincial government of the province. Against the allocation of Rs500 million of outgoing fiscal year 2013-14, the Sindh government has reduced the funds for Provincial Disaster Management Authority, allocating only Rs360 million for the PDMA under rehabilitation schemes.  Similarly, a minor sum of Rs87 million for Katchi Abadies and Rs103 million allocated for Labour Department. Against the allocation of Rs435 million of outgoing fiscal year, the Sindh Government has allocated Rs313 million for the uplift schemes of the women development department for the welfare of the women including construction of shelter homes, working women hostels and other schemes.
The huge allocation of Rs8.7 billion under special initiatives and Rs1.5 billion for Special Development Packages for the next fiscal year showed that plan of the PPP government that it will initiate special schemes on the order of party leadership to appease their nearer and dearer in the next financial year. However, the PPP government has enhanced the share of the districts from Rs20 to Rs25 billion in the annual development programme, beside a huge sum of Rs15 billion allocated for ongoing schemes in the districts development programme including Rs2.195 billion for 10pc royalty share for 15 districts in the next fiscal year.