Moalims

LAHORE – Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Dr Ayesha said that the education, health and agriculture sectors, and law and order were among top priorities of the Punjab government.
She added that 27 per cent of the total budget had been allocated for education, 14 percent for health, 12.5 percent for agriculture sector, and 9.5 percent for maintenance of law and order during the financial year 2015-16.
She said that that a total of Rs 310.20 billion would be given to the education sector, both at provincial and district levels. Similarly Rs 166.13 billion had been allocated for health sector, Rs 144.39 billion for Agriculture sector and Rs 109.55 billion for maintenance of law and order.
To a question, Ayesha said that the Punjab government was spending a hefty grant of Rs 258 billion on ongoing energy projects in the province, asserting that the federal and Punjab governments were executing energy generation projects worth Rs 618 billion in the province, while China would invest Rs 360 billion in these projects.
The minister said that under-completion energy projects in Punjab included 1320MW coal-fired power station at Sahiwal at a cost of Rs 180 billion; 1000MW Quaid-e-Solar Park, which was currently generating 100MW electricity at Bahawalpur at Rs 145 billion cost and 300MW coal power project worth Rs 45 billion at Pind Dadan Khan.
Dr Ayesha said that these three projects would be generating accumulative 2620MW electricity till year 2017. She added that the Punjab government was also initiating 1200MW gas-fired power project at a cost of Rs 110 billion in Sheikhupura, and it would be fully inducted into the power system by 2017.
However, she said, a grant of Rs 15 billion had been allocated for the project in the fiscal year 2015-16. She added that the provincial government was also working on small power projects, as work had been started on coal-fired projects of 110MW at Sundar Industrial Estate Lahore and Faisalabad Industrial Estate. Both the projects would cost Rs 33 billion, she added.
“I have firm belief that these energy projects will prove to be helpful in overcoming substantially energy crisis and rid the people of load-shedding problem,” Dr Ayesha said. She said that the Punjab government had earmarked Rs 52 billion for the Chief Minister's Rural Roads Programme; Rs 4.58 billion for Punjab Irrigated Agricultural Productivity and Rs 5 billion for agri tractors during financial year 2015-16.
She said that the Punjab government had initiated Rs 150 billion Chief Minister's Rural Roads Programme for which a grant of Rs 52 billion would be allocated in the next fiscal year. She maintained that the project was aimed at ensuring speedy and inexpensive transportation of agri produces from fields to markets.
The minister said that the government had for the last few years been implementing Rs 21 billion mega project – “Punjab Irrigated Agricultural Productivity Improvement” project. Under this project, she said that drip and sprinkler irrigation system installed over an agricultural area of 120,000 acres and 9000 water courses were streamlined.
For the fiscal year 2015-16, she added, Rs 4.58 billion had been allocated for the project. The Punjab government, she said, would also give a total of Rs 5 billion for the provision of 25,000 tractors to small farmers/growers on subsidized price on merit and in transparent manner. It had also been proposed to allocate Rs one billion for the provision of agricultural equipment to the farmers.
She said that under a comprehensive programme, barrages were being repaired and rehabilitated in the province. Jinnah Barrage would be rehabilitated at a cost of Rs 12.67 billion, while Rs 900 million had been allocated for the purpose in the fiscal year 2015-16. Khanki Barrage would cost Rs 23.44 billion and in the next fiscal year, a sum of Rs 6.15 billion had been allocated for it.
She said that a phased programme of Rs 8 billion had been prepared to protect Sialkot, Kamonke and adjoining settlements from floods. The minister said that the Punjab government had allocated Rs 11 billion for various drinking water schemes in the province during financial year 2015-16. In three year, more than 400 million villagers would have safe and clean drinking water facility that would cost Rs 17 billion.
Dr Ayesha said that the government had increased the minority communities’ budget up to Rs one billion during fiscal year 2015-16 and this amount would be spent on the welfare of minority communities. She said that the government also allocated Rs 2 billion for the ongoing ‘Chief Minister's Khud Rozgar Scheme' for provision of interest-free loan up to Rs 50,000 to the poor individuals for starting their own business/work.
Punjab Social Protection Authority, which had been established to ensure social and fiscal protection to the low-income class, would launch its first project at a cost of Rs 2 billion under which the disabled would be given stipends for their social and financial well-being.

News Reference: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/business/13-Jun-2015/27-of-total-budget-allocated-for-education-dr-ayesha