ISLAMABAD: Under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP), the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has approved Rs 72 billion for various ministries and divisions in the fourth quarter (April-June) of the current financial year 2022-2023. JEE News reported Sunday.
The Ministry of Planning has sanctioned 566.85 billion rupees to various ministries and divisions, which is 50 billion rupees more than last year, which was 516.31 billion rupees.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) topped the list as it sanctioned Rs 42,928.91 million in the fourth quarter of this year.
The details of the amount authorized to the Ministries and Divisions are as follows:
- Aviation Division — Rs3,314 million,
- Cabinet Division — Rs90,035.28 million,
- Climate Division — Rs4,073 million;
- Board of Investment — Rs163.63 million;
- Commerce Division — 5,550.61 million;
- Communication — Rs108 million;
- Defence Division — Rs2,226.94 million;
- Defence Production — Rs2,200 million;
- Establishment Division — Rs433.07 million;
- Federal Ministry of Education & Professional Training — Rs5,469.91 million;
- Housing & Works — Rs19,528.42 million;
- Information and Technology — Rs5,731.7 million;
- Railways — Rs25,818.8 million;
- National Food & Security — Rs12,329.13 million;
- National Health Services, Regulation — Rs11,774.42 million
Additionally, the ministry has sanctioned Rs 91,845.22 million to the provinces. Additionally, the National Highways Authority (NHA) was authorized to provide Rs 76,575.34 million, National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC)/Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) Rs 20,209.83 million and Railway Division Rs 25,818.80 million.
Since assuming charge, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has maintained his position that the federal government should not take up projects related to the provinces.
“The federal government should consider only the high priority projects of the provinces on a 50-50 sharing basis,” the minister said during the last meeting in which he reviewed the PSDP.
It should be noted that despite the financial difficulties, the government was able to allocate 700 billion rupees for PSDP. During the year 2022, in the same quarter, the PTI government failed to release a single penny, which is the first time in the country’s history.
