However, the government has not so far released funds for the development projects of various ministries, divisions and their departments including Establishment Division, Foreign Affairs Division, Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony Division, Textile Industry Division, National Security Division, Special Federal Development Programme, Energy for All, Clean Drinking Water for All, Special Provision for Completion of CPEC Project and Gas Infrastructure Development Cess.
The government has released Rs 111.66 billion including Rs 40.85 billion foreign aid for infrastructure projects of National Highway Authority (NHA) against budgeted allocation of Rs 325.7 billion. The Planning Commission has released Rs 18,532.35 million including Rs 18,414.87 million foreign aid for development projects of the Ministry of Water and Power (Power Sector) against the budgeted allocation of Rs 62.15 billion.
An amount of Rs 10,407.23 million has been released for Water and Power Division (Water Sector) against the budgeted allocation of Rs 36.75 billion for current fiscal year.
The government has released Rs 9,384.335 million for development projects of Pakistan Railways Division against total budgeted allocation of Rs 42.9 billion for current fiscal year 2017-18.
The government has released Rs 9 billion for the development projects of Azad Jammu and Kashmir against the total budgeted allocation of Rs 25.84 billion for current fiscal year. The government also released Rs 6.24 billion for development projects of Gilgit-Baltistan against Rs 18.3 billion budgeted allocation, while Rs 10.5 billion have been released for the projects of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) against the total budgeted allocation of Rs 26.9 billion.
A total of Rs 2,731.788 million were released for different development projects of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Division against the total budgeted allocation of Rs 48.7 billion under PSDP 2017-18. The government has released Rs 322.76 million for different developmental projects of National Food Security and Research Division against the earmarked Rs 1.6 billion for the development of agriculture sector in the country.
The government released Rs 2,267.8 million to Finance Division, Rs 623.14 million to Aviation Division, Rs 887.73 million to Port and Shipping Division, Rs 304.55 million to Science and Technological Research Division, Rs 212.4 million to Defense Division, Rs 2284.8 million to Housing and Works Division, Rs 49.5 million to Information and Broadcasting Division and Rs 1728 million to Defence and Production Division.
An amount of Rs 10,629.837 million has been released for different projects of Higher Education Commission (HEC) against total budgeted allocation of Rs 35.7 billion.
The government has released Rs 1,905.8 million to Capital Administration and Development Division, Rs 326 million to Climate Change Division, Rs 240 million to Commerce Division, Rs 5276.5 million for Communication Division (other than NHA), Rs 4,735 million to Interior Division, Rs 114.6 million to Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, and Rs 1.58 billion to Planning, Development and Reform.
The government has released Rs 36.5 billion for Special Federal Development Programme for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) against Rs 90 billion budgeted allocation and Rs 9.2 billion for development projects of Prime Minister's Youth and Hunarmand Programme under current fiscal year 2017-18.
The entire amount of Rs 30 billion has been released for Prime Minister's Global SDGs Achievement Programme. The Planning Commission of Pakistan has so far followed 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.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017