ISLAMABAD, June 15: The government has earmarked Rs193.512 billion for the provinces from the federal receipts in the budget 2002-03 on the basis of the National Finance Commission award of 1996 against the current year’s estimated allocation of Rs189.97 billion.

Of the allocated amount, Punjab will get 57.88 per cent, 23.28 per cent will go to Sindh, 13.54 per cent to the NWFP and Balochistan will receive 5.30pc.

The government has shown an increase of Rs3.542 billion in the budget document for the provinces in divisible taxes.

However, according to the document, the government did not transfer Rs14.9 billion out of the allocated Rs189.97 billion to the provinces during the year 2001-02, as the authorities failed to meet the revenue target, following the Sept 11 attacks.

According to the breakdown of the money allocated and released in the current fiscal year, Punjab was given Rs87.908 billion against the estimated allocation of Rs96.786 billion, a loss of Rs8.878 billion; Sindh got Rs50.66 billion against the actual allocation of Rs52.864 billion, a cut of Rs2.204 billion; the NWFP received Rs19.787 billion against the allocated sum of Rs21.788 billion, a decline of Rs2.001 billion; and Rs16.721 billion was given to Balochistan against the allotted Rs18.997 billion, a cut of Rs2.276 billion.

In the next financial year, Rs97.44 billion will be transferred to Punjab, Rs56.455 billion will be given to Sindh, the NWFP is to get Rs22.133 billion and Balochistan will receive Rs17.483 billion.

The budgetary document shows that Rs50.478 billion is estimated to be given to the provinces under the head of income tax in the next fiscal year against the current year’s allocation of Rs50.829 billion of which Rs50.05 billion was released to them.