KARACHI, June 15: The Sindh government has unveiled record Rs71bn Annual Development Programme (ADP) for next fiscal 2007-08. Around Rs50 billion would come from the provincial resources and remaining in the form of federal grants and foreign project assistance.
The provincial allocation of Rs50bn towards the development programme is 56 per cent higher compared to outgoing year’s ADP of Rs32 billion, stated Senior Minister for Health and Coordination Syed Sardar Ahmad while presenting on Friday the provincial budget of Rs236 billion in the Sindh Assembly.
Major thrust of the next ADP would be on communication sector which is expected to work as an engine for development. A huge amount of Rs7.660bn or 19 per cent of the total ADP has been allocated for this sector. Besides, an assistance of Rs3.05bn from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for road sector development project would also be available in the next fiscal.
Since the provincial economy is largely dependant on agriculture, availability of irrigation water is also being given utmost importance and the government has doubled the allocation from current year’s Rs1.5 billion to Rs2.95bn.
Among major project to be funded from next year’s ADP is upgrading work of Keenjhar lake system to increase water supply to Karachi, construction of Bund Weir-III across river Malir to harness rain water for agriculture purposes and execution of ongoing federally-funded mega projects such as revamping and rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage system, extension of RBOD from Sehwan to sea and lining of distributaries and minors.
Similarly, agriculture sector would receive Rs1.725bn in the next ADP which would be 55 per cent higher than the existing allocation of Rs1.113bn.
During current fiscal year, the agricultural productivity remained low due to water shortages at sowing stage, however, higher allocation for next year is expected to improve irrigation water position and enable the province to harvest higher production of cash crops such as rice, wheat, sugarcane and cotton.
Besides, the government has also allocated substantial funds for infrastructure and marketing facilities of farm and livestock products by setting up a modern meat, fish and vegetable market near Super Highway at a cost of Rs1.965bn and construction of three cold storages at Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar and Shahpur Jahanian would also be undertaken at a cost of Rs500m.
Funds would be given to establish training and research institutes of agriculture engineering at a cost of Rs300m and procurement of crawler tractors (earth moving machinery) would be funded at Rs800m.Development funding for livestock and fisheries has sharply been raised to Rs1.850bn as compared to existing allocation of Rs251m. The development initiatives in this sector are aimed at poverty alleviation, attracting local and foreign investment, raising exports and improving hygienic conditions to meet European Union standards.
The next year’s ADP would provide funds for establishment of cattle colonies duly equipped with modern facilities at various places in the province costing Rs3.328bn. A state-of-the-art dairy village and meat processing zone would be set up at Bhambhore at a cost of Rs450m.
The provincial government would also undertake the work of setting up fish hatcheries at an estimated cost of Rs335m and establish model villages for fishermen and provision of fishing gears at a cost of Rs500m.
The minister informed the provincial assembly that next year’s ADP would provide Rs2.5bn for education, which is 66 per cent higher than current year’s Rs1.5bn.
Major educational areas to be funded from the new ADP, which include up-grading 810 schools at various levels in the province, establishment of engineering collages at Jacobabad, Larkana and Badin and revitalisation of teachers training institute with Rs1bn.For ensuring supply of potable water and sanitation system, the provincial government is going to spend a huge amount under the ADP. About 1,108 water purification plants would be set up which will benefit around 1.5 million people. Supply of fire-fighting vehicles and provision of solid waste removal equipment for all the TMAs in interior of Sindh would be funded.
A provision has been made in the ADP for construction of working women hostels and shelter homes in all the districts.
However, the most significant project to be undertaken next year is development of costal belt in Thatta and Badin districts. People of this region are the poorest among the poor.
The new ADP would provide funds for 20 plantation projects of mangroves and salt resistant trees, livestock and fisheries at a cost of Rs140m. A communication access project at a cost of Rs100m would also be funded on the costal belt of Sindh.
Sindh Coastal Community Development Project costing Rs2.4 billion would be launched next year with the assistance of the ADB.
The minister also disclosed that negotiations for $1bn loan from the international donors to initiate major development activities in Karachi, Sanghar, Badin, Dadu, Mithi, Islamkot, Khairpur and Naushero Feroz were expected to be finalised soon.
He further said that under special packages for Karachi, Hyderabad and rural areas a sum of Rs5.14bn was earmarked in the next ADP. In the last three years the total allocation for such packages had crossed Rs17.6bn mark. The federal government also contributed Rs3.3bn for Karachi and Hyderabad packages, he added.