KARACHI, June 12: The share of Karachi in the Rs160 billion Public Sector Development Programme is only Rs3,830.84 million and the amount has been allocated for 82 development schemes.

The schemes include 32 new and 50 on-going schemes of water supply, health facilities, higher education, information technology, rangers and oceanography.

The 32 new schemes, which will cost Rs 2836.9 million, will get Rs 1039.68 million in the coming fiscal while for 50 on-going projects, Rs 2,791.16 million have been allocated. These projects, which will cost Rs 15,788.50 million, have already consumed Rs3019 million by June 2003.

The major on-going projects include Lyari Expressway costing Rs 5081 million and Karachi Northren Bypass costing Rs 2716 million and Rs 905.6 million and Rs 884.3 million have already had been spent by June 2003 while Rs 1,000 million and Rs 900 million would be spent in the new fiscal.

A new major project which has been included in the PSDP is the acquisition of multidisciplinary Oceanography Research Vessel costing Rs 4515 million but in the new fiscal only Rs one million have been allocated.

Another important project included in the PSDP is a provision for setting up an IT infrastructure for the city district government Karachi which will cost Rs 27.90 million.

The schemes were incorporated in the PDSP under the supervision of newly-posted Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Mutawwakkil Qazi, who was secretary in the planning commission prior to his new posting in Sindh.

The PSDP 2003-04, according to the document, being third year of the 10-year perspective plan (2001-11) has been formulated within the overall continued policy and programme framework to move towards self-sustained economic growth, reduce poverty, generate employment on nationwide basis, ensure good governance and restore the quality of life and improvement of social services.

The highest number of schemes, numbering 15, are in education sector, including seven on-going projects. The total cost of these projects will be Rs 1553 million, which include Rs 894.2 million already spent on the on-going projects whose total cost will be Rs 1262 million. However, in the PSDP Rs 181.25 million were allocated.

Eight new projects, costing Rs 291.3 million, would be launched in the coming fiscal for which Rs 152.8 million have been earmarked.

The education sector is followed by 13 projects of rangers costing Rs 288.10 million.

These are on-going schemes on which by June 2003, Rs 200.30 million have already spent while in the new PSDP, Rs 38.42 million have been earmarked which will be spent on completion of accommodation facilities, including barracks, headquarters, mess and workshops.

Health sector has 10 projects in the PSDP, costing Rs 882 million, including two on-going schemes costing Rs 33 million on which by June 2003, Rs 23.5 million were spent and in the new fiscal, Rs 7 million were allocated.

The eight new projects, to be launched in the coming financial year, will cost Rs 849.70 million. However, only Rs 551.17 million were earmarked for the purpose. Of the amount, biggest chunk of Rs 400 would be spent to add a liver transplant facility at SIUT Karachi.

In the water sector, in addition to Rs 500 million earmarked for the on-going Rs 6103 million greater bulk water supply scheme Karachi, Rs 23.2 million have been allocated for feasibility study for potential alternative sources of water supply for Karachi (desalination plant) and installation of water purification plants.