ISLAMABAD, June 10: Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz will launch the Economic Survey for the fiscal year 2003-04 at a press conference here on Friday. With the launching of the survey, the budget announcement process for the new financial year 2004-05 will start.

The finance minister will announce the budget in the parliament on Saturday at 5.30pm. On the occasion of the launching of Economic Survey 2003-04, the finance minister will unveil and highlight the overall performance and achievements of the government on economic front.

The National Economic Council has already approved Rs202 billion for the Public Sector Development Programme against an allocation of Rs160 billion last year.

The major focus of the PDSP 2004-05 is on infrastructure, communication, agriculture and social sector development, including poverty alleviation. The government after achieving a growth target of over six per cent has set a GDP growth target of 6.6 per cent for the fiscal year 2004-05.

To facilitate editors and journalists, the ministry of finance will put the Economic Survey and PSDP on websites: www.finance.gov.pk, islamabad.net and www.cbr.gov.pk that could be accessed after 1200 hours. The budget and PSDP would be live on the same websites as soon as the finance minister's budget speech is over. -APP