ADP budget slashed by 33 percent

KARACHI – A 33 percent budgetary reduction has been made in the revised Annual Development Programme (ADP) for 2010-11, with the original allocation of Rs 115 billion slashed to Rs 77 billion, announced Planning & Development (P&D) Additional Chief Secretary Muhammad Ishaque Lashari in a meeting at the CM House.
The meeting – held on Friday but a notification issued on Saturday – was summoned by Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to review the progress in the ADP for 2010-2011. According to the revised allocation, the Agriculture Department has been allocated Rs 2,113.15 million; Livestock & Fisheries Rs 1,900.80 million; Health Rs 4,095 million; P,P,&H Rs 376.29 million; T&C Rs 8,450 million; Education Rs 4,560 million; Water & Drainage Rs 2,600.22 million; Food Rs 188.59 million; Forest, wildlife & CDA Rs 610.864 million; Industries Rs 842.58 million; Investment Rs 312 million, Mines & Minerals Development Rs325.434 million; Auqaf Rs216.828 million; Minorities Rs 100million; State & Eco Resources Rs 1,497.223 million; Social Welfare Rs 140.169 million; Science & Information Technology Rs 1,264.583 million; Women Development Rs 270.843 million; Environment Rs 179.110 million; Allocation for Priority Programme Rs 4,060 million; Special Packages Rs 8,460.361 million; Rural Development Rs 388 million; and Human Rights Rs 90million.
Participants of the meeting were informed that as against revised ADP of Rs 77 billion, Rs 29.60 billion has been released up to January 31, 2011 while expenditure amount to Rs 14.30 billion. Regarding new schemes, the meeting was informed that there are 499 new scheme in ADP, out of which 275 have been approved by DDWP and 224 schemes have been approved by PDWA. For 168 MPAs’ priority programmes, funds worth Rs 3,360 million were allocated, of which Rs 2,627.53 million were released till March 14, 2011 to 136 MPAs for 991 schemes. The schemes of another 27 MPAs are under process, while no proposals were received from five MPAs.
CM Shah later underlined the need to formulate a new education strategic plan for Sindh, keeping in view the requirement of educational institutions, buildings needs for schools, colleges and other higher education centres. Shah added that the new education plan will consolidate and strengthen the present education system, focusing on the utilisation of available buildings but closed schools.
The CM said that efforts should be made to propose and highlight schemes that can be taken and completed within one year, arguing that only such approved schemes be included and reflected in budget books. A committee was formed by the CM, which will collect schemes from MPAs, scrutinize and finalize them well before the publication of budget books.
Shah said that some specific and comprehensive projects be proposed and completed in next ADP-2011-2012, for which a joint meeting of the Planning & Development and Finance departments with other relevant departments be held immediately and proposals to finalized within a week. He said that prioritising of schemes be earmarked and finalized, while ongoing schemes of the current financial year be completed within stipulated time.
The CM directed the Finance Department to release funds for all schemes within the stipulated time. He also ordered the P&D Department to prepare strategic guidelines for all MPAs so that they can send their schemes well in time.