LAHORE: Translating its vision of allocating maximum resources to social sector to achieve equitable economic growth, the Punjab government has set aside Rs168.9 billion for social sectors development programme for the next fiscal – some 41.7 per cent higher than the current Rs119.2bn.

The social sector allocation for 2016-17 constitutes some 31 per cent of the total Rs550bn Punjab development budget. The lion’s share of the social sector budget has gone to education (Rs73.3bn) and health (Rs43.8bn) sectors.

In total, the Punjab government plans to spend Rs312.8bn on education and Rs207.3bn on health in 2016-17.

EDUCATION: Acknowledging education as a means for economic mobility, especially for the poor, the Punjab government has put its more focus on demand-side interventions to increase the demand for education amongst the poor and vulnerable groups.

Education to get Rs73.3bn, health Rs43.8bn and water supply Rs45bn

The government has also expressed its will of empowering the district education authorities as per the Punjab Local Government Act 2013 – to improve the quality of learning.

The Rs73.3bn allocation for education includes Rs47.76bn plus foreign aid of Rs87.5 million for school education, Rs17.218bn for higher education, Rs962m for special education, Rs1.9bn for literacy and Rs5bn for sports.

The government in next fiscal plans to spend Rs50bn on Khadim-i-Punjab School Strengthening Programme. The amount is meant for strengthening of schools in dangerous and dilapidated buildings, construction of 36,000 new classrooms in primary schools and provision of missing facilities. In government’s endeavour to achieve cent per cent primary school enrolment, the World Bank is also providing $300m over the next five years.

A sum of Rs4bn has been earmarked for the Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF), while Rs3bn set aside for the construction of four new Daanish schools in Mankera (Bhakkar district) and in Taunsa (D.G. Khan district). Two Daanish schools are already under construction in Tibba Sultanpura (Vehari district).

For higher education, the government has allocated Rs17.218bn and plans to establish 46 new colleges in the province, construction of new buildings and equipment for universities in Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Faisalabad and Multan.

A women university and an IT & Engineering University will also be established in Sialkot.

The government has set aside Rs2bn for the Lahore Knowledge Park including IT & Engineering University, Lahore, and Rs4bn for the provision of laptops to 400,000 talented students in the province.

Of Rs962m allocation for the special education, the government plans to establish Punjab Inclusive Education Project at Bahawalpur and Muzaffargarh, Voucher Scheme for Inclusive Education at PEF schools for mainstreaming of special needs children with a pilot project in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi. The government also wants to establish a degree college of special education in Multan and two government secondary schools of special education for hearing impaired girls at Gujranwala and Rawalpindi.

For literacy, the government has earmarked Rs1.9bn and plans to establish 13,000 non-formal basic education schools, provide primary level education to 400,000 out-of-school children; provide basic literacy to 4,500 illiterate adolescents and 650,000 illiterate adults.

HEALTH: The government has earmarked Rs43.8bn for health – Rs24.5bn for specialised healthcare and medical education; Rs18bn for primary and secondary healthcare; and Rs1.3bn for population planning.

In the specialised healthcare sector, the government has set aside Rs4bn for the establishment of Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI), Lahore; and Rs2bn for the revamp of four tertiary care hospitals in the province. Rs4.31bn have been allocated for upgradation of existing DHQ hospitals into teaching hospitals at Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sahiwal and D.G. Khan.

Rs3.7bn will be spent on revamp of all DHQ hospitals and Rs1.5bn on 15 big THQ infirmaries in the province.

Priortising preventive healthcare, the government has set aside Rs2.5bn for Integrated Reproductive Maternal Newborn & Child Health (RMNCH) and Nutrition Programme, Rs1bn for Expanded Programme for Immunisation (EPI), Rs500m for prevention and control of Hepatitis in Punjab, and Rs400 million for Infection Control Programme.

The government will spend Rs1bn on purchase of mobile health units and allocated Rs1bn for the purpose for the next fiscal.

WATER SUPPLY & SANITATION: In order to build institutional capacity at the divisional level for water and sanitation, preventing diseases and reducing expenditure on healthcare, the government has allocated Rs45bn, including Rs8bn for ongoing schemes.

SOCIAL WELFARE: The government has set aside Rs1.6bn for the establishment of Mini Sanatzar at Pasroor (Sialkot) and Taunsa (D.G. Khan), beggar homes at Faisalabad and Multan, upgrade of Darul Amans, establishment of four Dastkari schools in Lahore and research study/situational analysis of ex-sex workers and their rehabilitation mechanism.

WOMEN DEVELOPMENT: Rs629m have been earmarked for women development department and a major chunk will be used to increase awareness among women about their rights.

LOCAL GOVT & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: Of Rs4.5bn for the LG&CD, the government’s targets include World Bank-assisted Punjab Municipal Services Improvement Project Phase-II, improvement of conditions of public graveyards; preservation and restoration of Lahore Fort and construction of Union Council office buildings in Punjab.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2016