PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has earmarked Rs174.88 billion for the next fiscal year’s Annual Development Programme (ADP), an increase of 25 per cent over the current budget of Rs139.8bn.

Unveiling the budget at the KP Assembly on Monday, Finance Minister Muzafar Said said the total development outlay also includes Rs32.88bn foreign assistance, which is 19pc of the total ADP.

The provincial government’s share in the ADP stands at Rs142bn, 42pc heavier than 2014-15’s ADP of Rs100.05bn and 35.75pc than the revised figure of Rs104.61bn.

The development budget for health and higher education is proposed at Rs8.28bn and Rs6.2bn, respectively, which shows no change compared to Rs8.28bn and Rs6.18bn in 2014-15.

The foreign support, which will finance 54 schemes, has come down to 21pc from Rs39.755bn in the outgoing financial year to Rs32.88bn for FY16. The ADP comprises of 1,525 projects — 911 ongoing and 614 new.

A sum of Rs10.2bn has been set aside for basic and secondary education, up from Rs9.49bn this year. Of the 71 projects, 49 ongoing schemes have been allocated Rs7.95bn and 22 new schemes Rs2.249bn.

The establishment of 150 primary schools — 100 of them for girls — are among the new schemes. Other schemes include 500 community schools for girls and establishment of IT labs in 500 schools.

An allocation of Rs17.766bn has been made for a total of 51 projects of the local government, out of which 31 are ongoing (Rs9.235bn) and 20 new (Rs8.53bn).

Prominent projects are establishment of Water and Sanitation Services Companies on the level of divisional headquarters and improvement of infrastructure in selection development authorities in KP.

An allocation of Rs8.28bn has been made for a total of 98 projects in health, 75 ongoing (Rs7.2bn) and 23 new (Rs1bn). The allocation for health was Rs8.28bn in FY15, too, but was later revised to Rs7.93bn.

The key targets include establishment of divisional food and drug testing laboratories at Swat, D.I. Khan and Abbottabad; works directorate in health department; and orthopaedic and spine surgery hospital at HMC, Peshawar.

For higher education, Rs6.2bn has been allocated compared to FY15’s Rs6.18bn (revised down to Rs5.96bn). The allocation would be utilised on 67 projects — 39 ongoing (Rs4.415bn) and 28 new (Rs1.7bn).

Prominent development schemes include upgradation of Havelian campus of Hazara University to a full-fledged university, establishment of Women University in Mardan and establishment of government colleges.

A total of Rs13.5bn would be spent on the construction of roads — Rs10.99bn on 191 ongoing schemes and Rs2.5bn on 138 new schemes.

For drinking water supply and sanitation, Rs7.36bn has been allocated for 93 projects (16 ongoing and 77 new).

To enhance agricultural productivity by ensuring requisite, equitable and reliable irrigation supplies to cultivable land in the province, a total of Rs6.87bn has been allocated. It would be utilised on 202 projects (110 ongoing and 92 new). Major projects include construction of Latamber Dam in District Karak and Marobi Dam in District Nowshera.

Under the head of special initiatives, a total of Rs8.16bn has been allocated for two projects, out of which Rs5bn would be spent on the ongoing ‘Sasta Atta, Ghee Khasosi Package’, and Rs3.16bn on a new scheme.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2015

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