LAHORE (June 15 2006): Punjab government's Rs 100 billion annual development programme (ADP) of 2006-07, which is 58.7-percent higher as compared to the last year's figure of Rs 63 billion, will mainly focus on social sectors - education, health, water supply & sanitation, besides services and urban sectors.
Out of Rs 100 billion ADP outlay, Rs 28,493.150 million will be spent on social sectors, Rs 25,700 million on infrastructure development, Rs 3,375 million on production sectors, Rs 1,360 million on services sector and Rs 4,255 million on miscellaneous sectors, including special infrastructure progarmme and district and TMA programme etc.
This year's ADP has been designed under the Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF) 2006-09. The development programme 2006-07 not only includes projected estimates for 2007-08, but also includes the summary and main components of the development schemes as well as major outcomes and targets.
The gross size of the development programme of Rs 100 billion includes provincial development progamme of Rs 65 billion, special infrastructure programme of Rs 23 billion and districts/TMAs programme of Rs 12 billion. According to the budget document, when compared with last years' development outlay, it is 59 percent higher. The core provincial progamme is 23 percent higher as against last year's size of Rs 53 billion.
The salient features of the progamme are as maximum funding of ongoing projects, full funding for projects to be completed ie, 70 percent ongoing and 30 percent new. Moreover, 60 percent of 2,430 schemes are to be completed and full funding for foreign aided and mega projects as per requirement. The progamme will also focus on rural areas (70 percent), infrastructural investments (35 percent) and allocation to pro-poor sectors (82 percent). Allocation per scheme will be Rs 27 billion.
As per sectoral analysis of the ADP, Education sector will get Rs 12,480 million, which constitutes 19.20 percent of the development programme 2006-07, which is 35 percent higher than the last year's allocation. It has, however, been envisaged that by the year 2008-09, the allocation for the education sector will be enhanced to 24 percent of the total development outlay in that year.
According to the budget document, in order to attain millennium development goals (MDGs), the following objectives will be achieved: 100 percent participation rate at primary level by 2015 and participation enhancement at the elementary and secondary levels; provision of quality education at all levels, promotion of science and computer education at the secondary and tertiary levels; and reduction in gender and regional disparity in access to education. In addition, Rs 600 million and Rs 275 million have been allocated for special education and literacy.
HEALTH: As compared to Rs 3,300 million of the last year's figure, Rs 4,300 million budget is allocated for health sector, which is 30.3 percent higher.
The major objectives envisaged in the health care delivery programmes include measurable impact on MDGs through investment in the health delivery services with significant reduction in incidence of diseases, implementation of a standardised service delivery package in the devolved set-up; better health management system, a well thought-out strategy to be implemented for patient care, reduction in poverty as well as social protection for vulnerable population groups, greater focus on preventive health care, particularly in the rural areas, improved primary, secondary and tertiary health care through effective and quality referral system and optimal utilisation of facilities; enhanced capacity for planning, costing and budgeting and making community participation meaningful and to give public private partnership a purposeful dimension.
In the ADP for water supply and sanitation, an amount of Rs 5,200 million has been provided as against Rs 4,500 million showing an increase of 15.6 percent, which would mainly focus on provision of water supply and sanitation coverage.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: In the ADP, 2006-07 Rs 1,800 million have been earmarked for local governments and rural development, which is 50 percent higher as compared to last year's figure of Rs 1,200 million. The major objectives include improving quality of life in 425 low-income areas of 21 towns in 6 districts of southern Punjab by providing drinking water, water treatment plants and construction/rehabilitation of slaughterhouses etc.
Moreover, it aims at training of elected councillors on holding their offices to acquaint them with official business and other allied skills; to accommodate and facilitate women councillors and local government functionaries, a separate block is gong to be set up in the existing local government academy at Lalamusa. Besides, it aims at providing basic infrastructure and deficient facilities in the selected villages to upgrade them to the level of model villages.
In line with the government policy, the development of the road infrastructure is being given due importance in the mid term budgetary framework i.e. 2006-07 and 2008-09. The revised allocation during 2005-06 was around Rs 13,500 million. In order to maintain the present tempo of infrastructure development the proposed allocation to the road sector in MTDC is Rs 14,000 million for 2006-07; Rs 16500 million for 2007-08 and Rs 18,000 for 2008-09.
AGRICULTURE SECTOR: An amount of Rs 1,100 million has been set aside for the agriculture which is 18.9 percent higher against the last year's budget of Rs 925 million. The focus will be on enhancing crop productivity through use of improved agronomical practices and high yielding and hybrid varieties besides strengthening agriculture research and extension services to adequately respond to the challenges and opportunities offered by WTO regime.
Moreover, the government has allocated Rs 1,050 million for promotion of industries, TEVTA and Mines & Minerals in the province and this amount is 38.2 percent higher as compared to the last year's figure of Rs 760 million. Similarly, forestry, wildlife and fisheries will get Rs 575 million, food Rs 50 million, livestock development Rs 600 million, information technology Rs 800 million, services Rs 500 million, labour, human resource development Rs 60 million, environment Rs 550 million, information, culture and youth affairs Rs 210 million, religious affairs and auqaf Rs 50 million, access to justice Rs 600 million, regional planning Rs 2,200 million, social welfare Rs 330 million, tourism Rs 90 million, emergency services Rs 900 million and sports Rs 400 million.