ISLAMABAD   -  Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has directed the Planning Division to work with ministries to ensure that they fully utilize their funds, allocate additional funds to fast-moving projects and encourage and facilitate re-appropriations to and from different projects.

The directives were issued by Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar while presiding over a meeting to review the PSDP 2020-21 here. The minister was briefed on the outcomes of the recent Mid-Year review of PSDP projects, carried out by the Planning Commission. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Secretary Planning, and other seniors participated in the meeting. 

The meeting was informed that the PSDP projects of all the ministries/divisions were discussed in detail during the review exercise. Their progress reports and work plans for the remainder of the financial year were reviewed by the Planning Commission.

Asad Umar directed Planning Division to work with ministries to ensure that they fully utilize their funds. He also said that additional funds should be allocated to fast-moving progress to facilitate their early completion. For this purpose Planning Division should encourage and facilitate re-appropriations to and from different projects.

The minister also directed that provincial governments may be asked to expedite the finalisation of the healthcare upgrade schemes so that the available financial resources embarked under the COVID-19 program can be transferred to them. The minister stressed that the available financial resources should be fully utilized by the projects.

As per the authorization of allocated fund for the PSDP 2020-21, as of March 5, 2021, out of the total allocations Rs 650 billion in the PSDP 2020-21, authorization of Rs 479.239 has been issued by the Planning Commission. Similarly of RS 379.226 billion allocations for the ministries/divisions authorization have been issued for Rs 310.882 billion. 

For the allocations of Rs 158.275 billion for the corporations in the PSDP 2020-21, including National Highway Authority (NHA), NTDC/PEPCO, authorization has been issued for Rs 137.855 billion. Under the block allocations of Rs 39.5 billion for the special areas including AJK and Gilgit Baltistan authorization for Rs 29.301 billion has been issued. Of the total allocations of Rs 3 billion for ERRA, authorization for the release of Rs 12 billion has been issued.