Karachi: The Sindh planning and development (P&D) department has proposed Rs430 billion after an increase of Rs45 billion for the Provincial Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the coming 2024-25 annual budget.
In the last financial year 2023-24, a total of Rs385 billion was allocated for the provincial ADP.
In its proposal, the P&D department has also suggested a block allocation of Rs20 billion for new development initiatives to meet the requirements of new schemes.
As per the official papers, Rs745 billion has been proposed as the total development budget of Sindh for the fiscal year 2024-25. Of the total amount, Rs430 billion has been placed in the head of the provincial ADP, Rs250 billion in the head of foreign projects assistance (FPA), Rs30 billion in the head of District ADP and Rs35 billion in the head of Federal Public Sector Development Project (PSDP).
In the 2023-24 Sindh budget, the share from Federal PSDP was Rs52.912 billion. However, this time it has been proposed to be Rs35 billion, showing the reduction of an amount of around Rs17 billion. It may be noted that of the allocated federal share of Rs52.912 billion in the development programme of the outgoing year’s budget, only Rs6.688 billion was released and just Rs2.305 billion spent.
A budget strategy paper summary has been shared by the P&D department with the Sindh chief minister with an estimated size of the coming financial year’s ADP at Rs430 billion after an increase of Rs45 billion than the previous year’s Rs385 billion ADP.
The P&D department informed the CM that meetings of the Inter-Department Priority Committee (IDPC) were held during April 2024 where the overall performance of the development budget 2023-24 was discussed.
Although the Sindh government pledged Rs385.5 million for development schemes in the 2023-24 budget, the total amount released till April 5, 2024 was Rs212.768 billion and the amount spent was Rs.163.219 billion.
As per official papers, the district ADP in the 2023-24 budget was Rs30 billion, against which 10.822 billion was released and Rs7.136 billion spent. In the coming financial year, the same amount of Rs30 billion has been proposed by the P&D department as the district ADP.
In the IDPC meetings, all relevant departments were advised to comply with the overall guidelines for the preparation of the 2024-25 ADP conveyed by the P&D department. The departments were asked to modify their proposals according to the proposed budget ceilings shared during the IDPC meetings.
The draft Budget Strategy Paper (BSP) 2024-27 was also discussed with the P&D minister who desired that the BSP be aligned with the manifesto of the government. Later, the CM gave directions that a block allocation of Rs20 billion be made for new development initiatives to meet the requirements of new schemes to be taken up in consultation with stakeholders.
It has been proposed by the P&D department that revised budget ceilings for each department with a provision of Rs20 billion for new development initiatives be forwarded to the finance department to get that approved by the cabinet.
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