Development expenditure disclosed Rs959b

KARACHI:

The Sindh government on Friday announced a development outlay of Rs 959 billion in the provincial budget for the financial year 2024-25.

Prime Minister Murad Ali Shah revealed the development expenditure while presenting the provincial budget in the Sindh Assembly.

Development expenditure includes the Annual Provincial Development Program (ADP), R336 billion in aid for overseas projects, R76,971 federal public sector development program and R55 billion from the district ADP.

Most of the funds from the provincial ADP were allocated to current development programs, because, according to the Prime Minister, his government wants to complete the maximum number of programs that have been implemented for 10 years. No new programs have been added in the new PPS, except for four block allocations for special initiatives in the energy and water sectors.

According to budget documents, an amount of Rs303 billion has been earmarked for ongoing programs and Rs109 billion for unapproved programs. Most provincial ADP programs belong to local governments, the transport, education and health sectors.
The allocation for water and sanitation programs for the local government department is 71 billion rupees. Similarly, Rs 60.40 billion has been allocated for programs in the transport sector, Rs 32 billion for programs in the education sector and Rs 18 billion for programs in the health sector.

The government has allocated Rs 1,100 million for the first phase of the Karachi Safe City project. Under this project, 1,300 high-power cameras will be installed at 300 locations in the Red Zone and Aviation Corridor of the metropolis.

Under the Public Sector Development Programme, Rs 5,711 million has been allocated for mega projects in Karachi. These include construction of stormwater drainage from M-9 to Thado Nalla via Mehran Drain, construction of Korangi Causeway Bridge, construction of dual carriageway from Hotel Nasir to Mubarak village and construction of a sports complex in the Central District.

The voivodeship authorities also intend to start implementing development projects under public-private partnership in the new financial year. The West Karachi water recycling project will also be among these programs. The estimated cost of this project is $180 million. Other programs include the $450 million wastewater treatment plant (TP-4) and the JPMC safety and security project.

Reconstruction of houses in flood-damaged districts of Sindh will receive large foreign funds in the new budget, and the Prime Minister will announce the construction of one million houses. According to him, 125,000 were built in the entire voivodeship. houses, and 550,000 are under construction.

According to the Chief Minister, Sindh was in dire need of infrastructure development after the flood devastation in 2022. The government was able to sustainably drive development activities in the last two years thanks to the unwavering support of the international community.

The People’s Housing Center for Flood Victims in Sindh was launched with financial assistance worth $500 million from the World Bank, while the provincial government provided $227 million.

“We have firmly secured financing of around 70 percent from the Islamic Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank. The stand-alone initiative, which is the largest post-disaster residential reconstruction project in Pakistan and the world, is truly transforming the vision of ‘Roti, Kapra aur Makan’ into reality,” said CM Shah.