LAHORE, June 24: The Punjab government has allocated a sum of Rs2.352 billion for 19 major projects from the provincial annual development programme for 2002-2003.

The allocation for the project, which the provincial government describes as major initiatives, is just 7.25 per cent of their Rs32.448 million estimated cost.

The development allocations show that while the provincial government has allocated the entire estimated cost for three projects, it has not allocated even a nominal initial amount for one.

The government has earmarked Rs200 million for the promotion of information technology, Rs13 million for networking in the University of Education and Government Colleges of Education and Rs72 million for the establishment of a tanneries zone in Sialkot. The allocations equal the estimated cost of the respective projects. No allocation, however, has been made for the Rs1.5 billion project for setting up a cold chain through agriculture sector loans.

The provincial government has allocated Rs137 million for setting up a school of biological sciences at the Punjab against the estimated cost of Rs150 million. There is a Rs57 million allocation, against an estimated cost of Rs97 million, for the establishment of Khwarzmi Institute of Computer Sciences. The institute will be set up at the University of Engineering and Technology where an academic block has already been reserved for it.

The government has also allocated Rs6 million for setting up a school of mathematical sciences in the Government College, Lahore. It has already handed over the Education Department at New Muslim Town to the college for the school. The Education Department had sought Rs20 million for the project.

The government has allocated Rs60 million for the establishment of the first university of health sciences. The Health Department had originally demanded Rs100 million for the establishment of the university.

For upgrading the College of Veterinary Sciences as the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, the government has allocated Rs65 million against the original demand of Rs200 million.

For the construction of small dams in rain-irrigated areas, an allocation of Rs86 million has been made against the estimated cost of Rs230 million and for productivity enhancement through farm mechanization, Rs40 million against an estimated cost of Rs200 million.

For the construction of a tehsil headquarters police hospital at Lahore, the government has allocated Rs6 million against a cost estimate of Rs40 million.

The statement also showed that the provincial government had allocated very meagre amounts for seven projects.

For the Rs13.5 billion Punjab Road Sector Development Project, it allocated Rs205 million. Some 1,315 kilometres roads are to be constructed in the province.

For the Lahore Ring Road Phase-I, which deals with acquisition of land for the construction of the road, the government has allocated Rs500 million, against an estimated cost of Rs10 billion. The government has also allocated Rs10 million for the construction of access road to Lahore airport’s new terminal. The estimated cost of the road is Rs460 million.

For the Punjab Barrages Modernization Project and Irrigation System Rehabilitation Project, Phase-I, under the federal Public Sector Development Programme, the provincial government has allocated Rs375 million and Rs300 million against an estimated project cost of Rs5 billion.

The government has also allocated Rs200 million for the Punjab Community Water Supply and Sanitation Project against an estimated cost of Rs4.666 billion. It has allocated Rs20 million for the establishment of an institute of cardiology in Multan estimated to cost Rs1 billion.