KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Thursday announced an allocation of Rs343.90 billion for Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2018-19, which is negligibly lower from the budgeted sum (Rs344.06bn) for the outgoing fiscal year.

Mr Shah said Rs282bn will be generated through provincial resources, Rs46.894bn will come from foreign projects assistance (FPA) and Rs15.02bn under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) to finance the development plan for the next fiscal year.

He further said the Sindh government has decided to prepare 80pc of development budget for on-going schemes and leave 20pc of budget space for new schemes in a block provision in Annual Development Plan (ADP) 2018-19.

However, he said the development budget would include Rs252bn for provincial ADP 2018-19 out of which Rs202bn being 80pc has been allocated for 2,226 on-going schemes. New schemes of all departments will be accommodated under the block provision of Rs50bn, being 20pc of the development budget, earmarked separately as ‘Block Allocation’ for new schemes to be decided by next government for all sectors in ADP 2018-19.

In addition, he said, Rs30bn has been allocated for district ADP 2018-19.

The CM said the provincial government has planned to provide adequate infrastructure and services in social sectors like education, health and water supply and sanitation and also to build urban transport and communication.

Without disclosing fund allocation, he further said, that initially the provincial government will be introducing bus rapid transit system (BRTS) like the Orange Line and Red Line in Karachi. Efforts are underway for the implementation of multi-million major projects in education, health, nutrition, food security, water supply and sanitation, energy and infrastructure sectors.

The provincial government for next fiscal year 2018-19 has allocated Rs12.2bn for health sector on non-development side and Rs12.50bn on development side. New schemes of health sector will be accommodated under the provision of Rs50bn earmarked separately as block allocation for new schemes for all sector in ADP 2018-19.

The ADP allocation for education sector (for on-going schemes) has been kept to Rs24.4bn, including Rs3.2bn kept for boards and universities, Rs958.5 million for STEVTA and Rs200 million for special education, Rs5bn for college education and Rs15bn for school education.

Besides provincial ADP, Rs3bn have been allocated for foreign funded projects of education department during next fiscal year. Rehabilitation and expansion of 4,560 schools will be continued through 57 on-going schemes from Rs8.69bn. For college education an allocation of Rs5,000m has been proposed for ADP 2018-19 for 48 on-going schemes.

During next fiscal the provincial government will spend Rs1,200m to continue the work on village electrification and gasification programme. The Sindh government has allocated Rs2530m for funding four schemes for water supply to Thar Coal fields.

Furthermore, Rs7bn has been allocated for 16 on-going development schemes in ADP 2018-19 for development of road infrastructure and water schemes for Thar coal. The government will also launch new schemes for which Rs50bn has been allocated separately as ‘Block Allocation’ for all sector in ADP 2018-19.

For next fiscal 2018-19, Rs36.11bn have been proposed in the development budget in ADP 2018-19 for 248 on-going schemes including three schemes for Thar Coal Infrastructure development and four schemes under matching projects.

Similarly, new schemes of irrigation sector will be accommodated under the provision of Rs50bn earmarked separately as ‘Block Allocation’ for new schemes for all sector in ADP 2018-19. The development budget also includes Rs8.50bn under foreign projects assistance.

In order to face the challenges in the water and sanitation sector, Sindh government has allocated huge funds for different schemes. The ADP 2018-19 has allocated Rs29.02bn for 262 on-going schemes of water supply, sanitation and solid waste management.

Two major schemes for Karachi city – Greater Karachi Sewerage Project (S-III) and Greater Karachi Water Supply Project (K-IV) – under matching grants with an allocation of Rs7.262bn would be funded through ADP 2018-19.

The S-III and K-IV are being co-funded by provincial and federal governments.

New schemes of PHED and LGD will be accommodated under the provision of Rs50bn earmarked separately as ‘Block Allocation’ for new schemes for all sectors in ADP 2018-19.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2018