LAHORE, June 24: Punjab has provided Rs9 billion (inclusive of Khushhal Pakistan Programme) to the districts from its Rs20.750 billion annual development programme for the fiscal 2002-03.

However, the exact individual share of the 34 district has not been worked out by the government. “The exact share to be allocated to different district governments will be worked out by the recently constituted Provincial Finance Commission later on,” the budget documents say.

The size of the ADP for the financial year 2002-03 is 4 per cent higher than the development programme for the outgoing year, claim the documents. The development budget for the current year was estimated at Rs20.130 billion while the revised estimates put it at Rs23.238 billion.

Main emphasis has been placed on completion of ongoing schemes as 153 out of 377 schemes will be completed within the next year. Total share for important new schemes in the provincial programme would be Rs1.86 billion.

Punjab will generate resources of Rs12.978 billion to finance its development budget for the next fiscal year. Besides, it would receive Rs341 million in “federal assistance for the devolution programme and Rs45 million in cash assistance in the shape of Japanese grant for funding its development programme.” Further financing of the ADP will be done through loans of Rs5.27 billion, multi donor reimbursement of Rs2 billion and grants amounting to Rs115.5 million under the foreign project assistance.

An amount of Rs9.587 billion has been given for launching development schemes in various sectors — Rs2.437 billion for new and Rs7.15 billion for ongoing schemes. The construction of roads in the province has received highest allocation of Rs2.050 billion from the ADP. It is followed by the water supply schemes that have been allocated Rs1.745 billion and irrigation with Rs1.600 billion. Education has been given Rs1.356 billion and health Rs780 million.

Similarly, an amount of Rs656.62 million has been allocated to agriculture, Rs550 million (Rs150 million for housing and Rs400 million for offices) for government buildings, Rs281.167 million for industries, Rs200 million for information technology, Rs153 million livestock, Rs80 million for environmental planning, Rs58 million for information, youth and culture, Rs57.038 million for forestry and wildlife and Rs20 million for social welfare.

Some Rs2.35 billion have been allocated for major initiatives the government plans to launch next year. The total cost of the these “major initiatives” is estimated to be Rs32.7 billion.

Under the head of “regional planning”, the ADP has allocated a sum of Rs1.463 billion — Rs57 million for new and Rs1.406 million for ongoing schemes. A sum of Rs601.978 million has been given to the Bahawalpur Rural Development Project, Rs543.710 million to the D.G. Khan Rural Development Project, Rs256.82 million to ABAD and Rs60.49 million to the Cholistan Development Authority.

A total block allocation of Rs700 million has been made for priority programme (Rs250 million), unfunded schemes (Rs250 million), katchi abadis (Rs150 million) and capacity building (Rs50 million).