MUZAFFARABAD:Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the fiscal year 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs49 billion, including a Rs 1 billion foreign component, allocates 52 per cent to infrastructure development-related sectors, 34pc to social sectors, and 14pc to productive sectors.

Sharing a sector-wise breakdown of the allocations, Finance Minister Abdul Majid Khan said that the Communication and Works Department would receive the largest share of Rs15bn, followed by Rs6bn for health and Rs5bn each for education and local government and rural development (LG&RD).

The energy and water resources sector has been allocated Rs4.8bn — including Rs3.2bn for hydropower generation projects and Rs1.6bn for electricity supply and network improvement.

Other major allocations include Rs2.465bn for Physical Planning and Housing (PPH), Rs2.035bn for governance and miscellaneous sectors, Rs1.4bn for research and development, and Rs1.15bn for land administration and management, including the construction and improvement of refugee colonies.

Among other sectors, Rs920 million has been earmarked for industries and minerals, Rs900m for agriculture and livestock, Rs800m each for forestry and watershed management and information technology, and Rs700m for tourism. Sports, youth, and culture have been allocated Rs500m, while Rs345m will go to development authorities.

Additionally, Rs300m has been proposed for social welfare and women development, Rs280m for the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA), Rs200m for information and media development, Rs150m each for civil defence/State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and environment, Rs75m for fisheries and wildlife, and Rs30m for transport.

The finance minister said 52pc of the ADP funds — amounting to Rs25.21bn — had been earmarked for ongoing projects, while the remaining Rs23.79bn would go to new schemes. At the close of the current fiscal year, 76 development projects will have been completed, while the target for the next fiscal year is the completion of 167 projects, he added.

Among major recurring expenditures, education sector will get the highest share of Rs52.786bn, followed by Rs49bn for pensions, Rs37.99bn for “State Trading” — a term used for wheat flour subsidy — Rs31.386bn for miscellaneous grants, Rs26.274bn for health, Rs12.927bn for energy and water resources, Rs11.346bn for home (police), Rs9.2bn for general administration, Rs3.89bn for law, justice and parliamentary affairs (including judiciary), Rs2.25bn for forests/wildlife/fisheries, Rs2.01bn for relief and rehabilitation, and Rs1.98bn for Board of Revenue.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2025