ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The current government during its 4 years’ incumbency, increased allocations for various sectors under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) by 178 percent.
According to sources in ministry of Planning, the government has increased the PSDP allocations from Rs 360 billion in 2012-2013 to record high funding of Rs 1001 billion in 2017-18.
Similarly, development funds of all the provinces also rose to Rs 1,112 billion for the current fiscal year whereas during 2012-13, the funds stood at only Rs 515 billion.
“The main driver behind sharp rise in PSDP and provincial development budgets has been the steady increase in revenues of the federal government via better tax collection”, the sources said adding that tax-to-GDP ratio has increased to 12.6 per cent for FY 2016 while in FY 2013, it was only 9.8 per cent.
Furthermore, the government has allocated Rs 411 billion for infrastructure development in the current year, however during 2012-13, the allocation for this sector was only Rs 142 billion, thus showing an increase of 189 per cent during four years.
In higher education, the government has allocated Rs 35.662 billion under PSDP 2017-18 whereas back in 2012-13, the allocation for this sector was only Rs 15 billion.
Similarly, to materialise inclusive development in the country, significant funds are allocated for historically disadvantages places.
Under PSDP 2017-18, a development fund of Rs 22 billion has been set aside for Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) as compared to the allocation of Rs 10 billion in 2012-13 which is an increase of 120 per cent during four years.
Likewise, a sum of Rs 15 billion is allocated for Gilgit-Baltistan in this PSDP as compared to Rs 7 billion in 2012-13, thus showing an increase of 110 per cent.
The PSDP allocation of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) has been increased by 50 per cent during the corresponding period as it rose from Rs 16 billion in 2012-13 to Rs 24.5 billion in 2017-18.
