June 17, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 16, 1424

KARACHI, June 16: Sindh will have a total development outlay of Rs14.731 billion for the fiscal 2003-04, including higher allocation for Annual Development Plan (ADP) at Rs11 billion.

Amid rumpus and deafening slogans in the Sindh Assembly from the opposition benches provincial Finance and Cooperation Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad presented the next year’s budget with a total outlay of Rs104.28 billion.

The development budget is 20 per cent higher over the current fiscal’s revised estimates of Rs12.267 billion, whereas the ADP has been increased by 92 per cent over the current year’s revised estimates of Rs5.736 billion. The higher allocation for the PSDP is expected to generate around 24,000 new jobs in the province.

The other component of the next year’s development allocation will include Rs2.431 billion in foreign project assistance and Rs1.300 billion for drought emergency relief assistance (DERA), thereby taking the total outlay to Rs14.731 billion.

The provincial government plans to entirely meet the expenses or Rs11 billion of ADP 2003-04 from its own resources, except a nominal Japanese grant of Rs22.500 million.

The minister said against the allocated development outlay of Rs14.480 billion the utilization would not go beyond Rs12.267 billion. Similarly, out of a total outlay of Rs7 billion for the PSDP, the province will hardly utilize Rs5.736 billion by the close of the fiscal year on June 30, 2003.

Giving reasons for underutilization of the development funds, Mr Sardar said that great turmoil in political and administrative arena and the fledgling district governments’ limited capacity to utilize the funds were major factors.

Since the Provincial Finance Commission has been constituted very late the development programme will remain in the ration of 70 per cent for the districts and 30 per cent for the province till the PFC gives its award expected in September.

The provincial government next year would be giving priority to around 400 schemes, which are in advance stage of completion. It plans to provide adequate funds to the foreign aided projects so as to meet the commitments made with the donors and absorb the foreign project assistance (FPA) effectively.

Under the next year’s ADP the Sindh government has reserved Rs1.664 billion for education sector. In addition to this, Rs580 million will come from the donor agencies. Besides, investment from priority programme will also be made.

The irrigation sector would be receiving Rs470 million form the ADP, particularly for 10 ongoing and 20 new schemes. The latter includes rehabilitation of Fuleli Canal System, Badin; remodelling of Nather Detha Distributary, Nawshero Feroze; remodelling of Masuwah, Ghotki; and construction of a drainage channel in Shikarpur and Larkana.

Other schemes to be funded from the ADP include work on Right Bank Outfall Drain Project II, lining and improving of 4,000 water courses.

Furthermore, projects like Rainee Canal with an outlay of Rs1300 million; revamping and rehabilitation of drainage and irrigation system costing Rs12960 million; lining of channels with an allocation of Rs2500 million and Right Bank Outfall Drain from Sehwan to sea with an allocation of Rs1000 million will be taken under the ADP. For providing water to Thar area, two schemes costing Rs160 million will also be undertaken.

On health sector, construction of Nuclear Medical Centre at Peoples Medical College and Hospital, Nawabshah, angiography equipment with facility of angioplasty at cardiology department, Civil Hospital, Karachi, construction of new building for Chandka Medical college, Larkana, will also be funded.

Beside other schemes on agriculture sector, Sindh rural development project will be launched at a cost of Rs3.7 billion in Badin, Mirpurkhas, Snagher, Thatta, Ghotki and Jacobabad districts.

Infrastructure for Thar coal field areas will be developed and a coastal highway project starting from Karachi, Gharo, Mirpur Sakro, Badin, Ali Bunder Islamkot and Nagarparkar has been included in the federal PSDP.