LAHORE: The Punjab government in its first budget for the financial year 2022-23 has proposed Rs685 billion for the Annual Development Plan (ADP), 22 per cent up from last year’s Rs560bn.

The social sector has claimed the lion’s share of 40pc of the ADP, 24pc earmarked for infrastructure development, 6pc for production and 2pc for the services sector, while 28pc of the funds are proposed for other programmes and special initiatives for the financial year 2022-23, reveal the budget documents, approved by the cabinet on Monday.

It enunciates public investment-led economic growth, inclusive & balanced regional development, the transformation of the agriculture sector, human development through better skills, strengthening compliance with sustainable development goals, ensuring water and food security, support for public-private partnership, improving amenities through district development package as the guiding principles for the next year’s ADP.

Quoting a survey which reveals that 42pc households in south Punjab are poor as compared with 19pc in the rest of Punjab, the ADP for the year 2022-23 focuses on “regional equalization” through the 35pc (Rs240bn) Ring Fencing budget for south Punjab. It includes 31.5bn for sustainable development programme, Rs2.879bn for poverty alleviation project, Rs0.4bn for reducing stunting among children, Rs250 million for futsal courts. Foreign investment will be attracted to Vehari, Rahim yar Khan and Bahawalpur industrial estates, where special portions will be developed as Special Economic Zones for the purpose.

The documents reveal that Rs154.5bn has been earmarked for special programmes, including Rs125bn for Universal Health Insurance Programme, Rs89.5bn for sustainable development programmt, Rs10bn for a road rehabilitation programme, and Rs5bn for VGF and land acquisition for various development projects.

An amount of Rs272.6bn has been proposed for the social sectors - Rs174.9bn for health and population welfare, Rs56.7bn for education, Rs19.05bn for local government, Rs11.95bn for water supply and sanitation, Rs7.5bn for sports and youth affairs, Rs1.6bn for social welfare and Rs900 million for women development.

Infrastructure development has Rs164.265bn - Rs80.773bn for roads construction, Rs27.63bn for irrigation, Rs29.5bn for public buildings, Rs21.362bn for urban development and Rs5.0bn for energy generation.

The production sectors have been proposed Rs41.405bn, of which Rs19.560bn for agriculture, livestock and food departments, Rs12.535bn for industries, commerce, investment and skills development, Rs6.590bn for forestry, wildlife & fisheries, Rs1.5bn for mines and minerals, and Rs1.22bn for tourism development.

Of Rs14.820bn proposed for the services sector, Rs6.2bn will be for governance and IT, Rs6.32bn for transport, Rs1.8bn for emergency services (1122), and Rs500 million for labour and human resource development.

Other sectors have claimed a share of Rs37.41bn.

The ADP also includes foreign-funded projects worth $545.49 million.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2022