ISLAMABAD - The federal government has recommended Rs36.7 billion as development budget for the ministry of finance that included Rs25.3 billion for tribal districts development in the next budget for fiscal year 2019-2020.
The overall development budget of the ministry of finance is Rs36.7 billion for year 2019-2020. Its break-up showed that the government has proposed Rs7.54 billion for the ongoing projects, Rs3.91 billion for the new projects of the ministry under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the next fiscal year. Meanwhile, it has also decided to allocate Rs25.27 billion for the development of merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa for the upcoming financial year, according to the documents of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms. The government has allocated funds for tribal districts development under direct jurisdiction of Finance Division.
The government has allocated Rs24 billion as block amount for tribal districts. Meanwhile, another Rs1.53 billion has kept for different projects in these districts. The government has allocated Rs263.8 million for Chao Tangi small dam, South Waziristan Agency (SWA). Meanwhile, an amount of Rs335.18 million has been earmarked for the construction of Nahqi Tunnel Mohmand Agency. Furthermore, an amount of Rs400 million has been allocated for widening and improvement of Ghalanai Mohmand Gatt Road and Rs275 million for Zyara to Dabori Road Aurakzai agency for the next fiscal year.
Amount includes Rs25.3b for tribal districts development
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh had already said that federal government would extend all possible assistance to erstwhile FATA to fulfil its needs. He further said that federal government would also support the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in its endeavors to work for the social and economic development of the merged districts of FATA. He made these remarks while chairing a meeting to review the social and economic needs of the merged districts of erstwhile Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) on Monday.
According to the documents, the ministry of finance would initiate 13 new development projects in the next fiscal year for which its funding is estimated at Rs3.91 billion. The projects included construction of break water groyne wall and allied works at Eastbay in Gwadar at allocated of Rs200 million. The government has proposed Rs1 billion for the dualization of road from Bahawalpur to Yazman to Chandni Chowk (length 35 KM). Other major projects included dualization of road from GT road to Gujrat-Danga road at cost of Rs500 million and improvement and rehabilitation of road from Karappa to Shakardara district Kohat at Rs500 million.
Meanwhile, there are 21 ongoing projects for which the government has allocated Rs7.5 billion for the next fiscal year. The projects included 5 MGD RO sea water desalination plant at Gwadar (CEPC), Cadet College Kharan, Gwadar Development Authority, Gwadar Safe City Project phase-1, Gwadar Smart Environmental and sanitation system and landfill, Khyber Institute of Child Health and Children Hospital Peshawar, Lyari Expressway resettlement project and others.