Economic boost: Punjab government shifts focus on infrastructure projects

[Naveed Yaseen]

LAHORE (January 18 2009): Punjab government has shifted its focus on infrastructure-related projects to boost economic activity amid high inflationary pressure, leading to massive joblessness in the province. Increase in utilisation of development funds in both the road and irrigation sectors is being prioritised by the provincial government at present, sources said.

The provincial government wants the Planning & Development (P&D) Board revisit allocations in both sectors during current fiscal year, sources added. Top among the road projects, the Lahore Ring Road project has grabbed the attention of the Punjab government and additional charge of Project Director is given to the Lahore Commissioner Khusro Pervaiz.

The energetic commissioner has stirred the P&D Board by demanding additional expenditure of Rs 6 billion on the project during current fiscal year. The chairman of the Board has accordingly asked the staff concerned to match up the demand raised by the commissioner in this respect. The Ring Road project was initiated in 2005 with a completion target of 2007. Total allocation for the project was Rs 100 billion.

Out of this amount, Rs 63 billion was allocated to northern part of the project and Rs 37 billion on southern part. However, only 30 percent of Rs 24 billion allocated for current fiscal year, has so far been utilised. The aggressive approach of the new Project Director has caught the Planning officers by surprise, as they are unable to understand how the land acquisition and construction of road would be materialised in next six months.

Meanwhile, the P&D Board has also called its relevant irrigation sector experts to ensure speedy work on this front as well. According to sources, an absence of a clear-cut political will, no major dam is in focus of the policymakers. Only small dams are being focused and a total of 57 small dams are in the province at present.

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