Murad issues guidelines for preparation of next ADP

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has issued guidelines to all the government departments for the formulation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the next fiscal year 2025-26.

Officials said the CM’s directives were issued through the planning and development (P&D) department. Shah stressed the importance of aligning with the prevailing economic conditions, federal policies and development agenda of the Sindh government.

The CM stated that the ADP was designed to focus on sectoral priorities and socioeconomic impact while adhering to both federal and provincial government guidelines. He instructed each department to ensure that the proposed projects aligned with the government’s development strategy and contributed to measurable socio-economic outcomes.

Under the directives of the CM, departments are required to adhere to the comprehensive guidelines provided by the federal government's Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), which is pending.

Shah instructed that the initial edition of the ADP should be prepared based on sectoral priorities and implementation capacity within a budget size to be outlined in the Budget Strategy Paper (BSP). The final allocation would be determined based on the availability of funds.

The CM's guidelines state that 80 per cent of the total development budget should be allocated for the ongoing schemes. “Schemes expected to be completed by June 2025 must be finalized according to the original plan period," he stated.

Additionally, for projects that have already utilised over 70 per cent of their total cost, departments have been directed to allocate the remaining funds for their completion in 2025-26.

The CM also stated that the provincial departments must ensure counterpart funds for projects supported by international development partners. Furthermore, the ADP portfolio must be adjusted to address the aftermath of the 2022 floods, focusing on recovery and socioeconomic revival.

Acknowledging the financial constraints, Shah encouraged departments to identify new projects that could be implemented under the public-private partnership model. “New schemes should align with sectoral development strategies and national goals, such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Climate Change Policy Framework,” he said. He emphasised using the latest data sources, including the multidimensional poverty index (MPI) and population census to establish baselines for new projects and set quantifiable targets. He also instructed the departments to start the approval process for new schemes in October 2024, aiming at completing it by March 2025 to ensure their inclusion in the ADP.

The CM said the schemes approved before the fiscal year 2018-19 that were still incomplete should either be completed with the available budget or revised to reflect more realistic cost.