The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has made a significant allocation of Rs 319.2 billion under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for fiscal year 2022-23. Out of total allocation, Rs310.89 billion for settled areas and Rs. 69.9 billion for integrated tribal districts.
The total current budget of KPK has been decided at Rs. 913 billion, out of which 789 and 124 billion have been allocated for settlement districts and integrated districts respectively.
As informed by the government officials, the development program comprises of 2194 development projects for which Rs. 418 billion has been allocated for the province. Out of this, Rs. 319 billion has been allocated for settlement districts and Rs. 99 billion for merged districts.
During a special budget session chaired by the Deputy Speaker Mahmood Jan, Finance Minister for KP Taimoor Khan Jhagra presented a budget of Rs 1.332 trillion for the fiscal year 2022-23. Out of the total budget, 1109.1 billion is for settled districts and Rs.222.9 billion for the newly integrated district.
Read more: Education in KPK: Government’s steps towards betterment
However, the budget was being called as “disappointing” by the business community of KP.
Total estimate for receipts is around Rs 1,333 billion., the budget document said. According to the budget document, a total of Rs 670.5 billion is estimated from federal transfers including federal tax assignments, 1 percent war on terror, and straight transfers.
Jhagra stated that the total budget outlay holds at Rs. 1332 billion. Regardless of the hurdles, Rs 319.2 billion was allocated for the development portfolio of which only Rs. 8 billion will be obtained under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP).
Moreover, the KP government approved 15% increase in salaries of government employees while integrating ad-hoc allowance with the basic salary as well. To manage this increase, Jhagra told that Rs 447.9 billion would be spent including Rs 372.1 billion in settled districts and Rs 75.8 billion over merged tribal districts. He added, Rs 107 billion will be spent on pension including Rs106 billion in settled districts and Rs one billion in merged tribal districts.
Budget for 2022-23 presented in KPk, salaries increased by 16% & pension by 15%https://t.co/ZpSTJUs2uS
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Even in these crucial times, KP government managed to allocate a historic budget for development programs in a variety of domains including health sector, education, and infrastructure.