Punjab govt to allocate Rs 200bn development budget

[Salman]

Punjab govt to allocate Rs 200bn development budget

LAHORE: Punjab government has decided the next development budget 2013-14 would be of Rs 200 billion, in which 80 percent funds would be allocated for ongoing development schemes in the province.

In southern Punjab, development funds would also be allocated according to the population’s ratio.

This was decided in the high level meetings of affairs of development budget of upcoming fiscal year 2013-14 presided over by the Punjab Chairman P&D Board Sohail Ahmad.

According to official sources, Chief Minister Punjab Najam Sethi has also directed the chairman P&D to release the funds for the completion of ongoing development programes on priority.

Moreover the sources said during the next fiscal year 2013-14, Rs 160 billion to Rs 170 billion would be available especially for development projects.

According to the figures, the provincial government has focused these development sectors included education, health, social, irrigation and energy sectors on priority.

The Punjab government will also focus on the matters of wastewater treatment plant and deduction in stagnant wastewater ponds in the rural areas during the next fiscal year 2013-14.

On the directions of caretaker chief minister Punjab, the government would provide sufficient funds to complete the projects of energy sector to generate electricity at different canals.

Moreover development funds are being allocated to construct the buildings and improvement of the jails across the Punjab under the jails reforms project of Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Sources said under the formulation of ADP 2013-14, the caretaker Punjab government was focusing to complete all the ongoing development schemes of different provincial departments during the next fiscal year 2013-14 on top priority