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ISLAMABAD: The government has released Rs 701.2 billion - 87.8 percent including Rs 168.6 billion of the budgeted Rs 800 billion - for different development projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2016-17 till June 16.

According to data released by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, the government released Rs 201.5 billion (85 percent of total budgeted amount), including Rs 8.1 billion foreign aid, for development projects of various federal ministries against the total budgeted allocation of Rs 237.12 billion.

According to budget-2017-18 documents the government revised PSDP downward to Rs 715.1 billion for 2016-17 – a downward revision of 10.6 percent.

However, the government has yet to release funds for development projects of Foreign Affairs Division, Textile Industry Division and Gas Infrastructure Development Fund.

The government released Rs 206.8 billion, including Rs 91.2 billion foreign aid, for infrastructure projects of National Highway Authority (NHA) against the budgeted allocation of Rs 193.7 billion; and released Rs 134.53 billion including Rs 60 billion foreign aid for development projects of Ministry of Water and Power (Power Sector) against total budget allocation of Rs 130.9 billion. The government released Rs 40.76 billion for development projects of Pakistan Railways Division against total budgeted allocation of Rs 41 billion for current fiscal year 2016-17.

The government has projected Rs 209.68 billion development budget for the projects of NHA in budget-2017-18 and Rs 55.88 billion for Pakistan Railway. The government revised allocation upward to Rs 134.32 billion for current fiscal year 2016-17 for development projects of power sector and Rs 31.7 billion for water sector in budget-2017-18.

Planning Commission released Rs 22.57 billion, including Rs 7.3 billion foreign aid, for different projects of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission against the total budgeted allocation of Rs28.6 billion for fiscal year 2016-17.

During the period under review, an amount of Rs 24.7 billion was released for Water and Power Division (water sector) for the construction and development of reservoirs for water conservation, irrigation and power generation against the total allocation of Rs 33.95 billion.

Under PSDP 2016-17, an amount of Rs 7.8 billion was released for different development projects of Housing and Works Division against the total budgeted allocation of Rs 8.8 billion. The government released Rs 779.15 million for different developmental projects of National Food Security and Research Division against the earmarked Rs1.5 billion for the development of agriculture sector in the country.

A total of Rs 2.3 billion was released for Capital Administration and Development Division, Rs 580 million for Climate Change Division, Rs 2.3 billion for Defence Production Division, Rs 11.15 billion for Interior Division, Rs 271 million for Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority and Rs 4.5 billion for Planning, Development and Reform.

Under the PSDP 2016-17, the government released Rs 20.28 billion including Rs 73.8 million foreign aid for different projects of Higher Education Commission against total allocation of Rs 21.486 billion while Rs 27.28 billion is projected in budget-2017-18.

An amount of Rs 33.32 billion including Rs 523.8 million foreign aid has been released for the National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Division against the budgeted allocation of Rs 29.5 billion in the PSDP. The government released Rs61.3 billion for special federal development programmes for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) and security enhancement under current year’s development programme for the rehabilitation of TDPs against the total allocation of Rs100 billion.

A total of Rs 6 billion was released for Federal Education and Professional Training Division against Rs 10.6 billion budgeted allocation, Rs 3.23 billion was released for the development projects of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources and Rs 1.55 billion for Port and Shipping Division etc.

The government released Rs 15.69 billion including Rs1.78 billion foreign aid for development projects of Azad Jammu and Kashmir against the total budget allocation of Rs14.7 billion for current fiscal year. The government also released Rs 10.8 billion for development projects of Gilgit-Baltistan against the Rs 11.15 billion budgeted allocation, while Rs 21.55 billion including Rs 220 million foreign aid have been released for the projects of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) against the total budgeted allocation of Rs22.3 billion.

The Planning Commission of Pakistan follows the stipulated mechanism for release of funds: first quarter (July-September) 20 percent, second quarter (October-December) 20 percent, third quarter (January-March) 30 percent and fourth quarter (April-June) 30 percent. With three weeks left for the current fiscal year to end the government could release more funds for the budgeted PSDP 2016-17.