Punjab Government Presents Historic ADP Budget
LAHORE: The Maryam Nawaz Sharif-led Punjab government presented its inaugural budget on Thursday, unveiling a historic annual development plan (ADP) totalling Rs842 billion.
This figure includes a foreign aid component of Rs106.167bn and is 28 per cent higher than the previous year’s Rs655bn.
Finance Minister's Speech
In his budget speech, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja highlighted that 100% cash cover is available for the ADP, reflecting the government’s “revolutionary” five-year priorities. The ADP allocates:
- 33% to the social sector
- 29% to infrastructure
- 13% to production
- 5% to the services sector
- 20% for special initiatives and other programs
A sum of Rs394.4bn, almost half of the total ADP, has been allocated for ongoing schemes and Rs404.41bn for new projects.
Special Initiatives
Another significant feature of the ADP is the inclusion of the chief minister’s special initiatives in almost all sectors:
- Rs45bn for the agriculture sector
- Rs20bn for urban development
- Rs9bn for primary healthcare
- Rs8.5bn for roads
- Rs4bn for Roshan Gharana (solar scheme)
- Rs4bn for sports and youth affairs
- Rs5.2bn for fisheries
- Rs7bn for livestock
- Rs5bn for tourism (Murree development, etc.)
Sectoral Allocations
Social Sector
- Total allocation: Rs280bn (including Rs45bn in foreign aid)
- Education: Rs65.5bn
- Health: Rs128.6bn
- Water supply and sanitation: Rs8bn
- Social welfare: Rs4bn
- Women development: Rs1.4bn
- Local government: Rs61.57bn
Infrastructure Development
- Total allocation: Rs246.8bn (including Rs18.51bn foreign component)
- Major road projects: Muzaffargarh-Tarinda Muhammad Panah (Rs31.48bn), Multan-Vehari (Rs13bn), Burewala-Vehari (Rs12bn)
- Irrigation: Rs25.8bn (including Rs9.2bn foreign aid)
- Public buildings restoration: Rs30bn
- Urban development: Rs40.5bn (including Rs9.15bn foreign component)
- Energy sector: Rs7.5bn
Production Sectors
- Total allocation: Rs107.85bn (including Rs13.46bn foreign aid)
- Agriculture: Rs64.6bn (including Rs11.8bn foreign aid)
- Forestry: Rs4bn
- Fisheries: Rs6.4bn
- Wildlife: Rs5.3bn
- Livestock: Rs9bn
- Industries and commerce: Rs10.7bn
- Tourism: Rs6.5bn
Services Sector
- Total allocation: Rs41bn (including Rs5.9bn foreign aid)
- Governance and IT: Rs20.7bn
- Transport: Rs18.5bn
- Emergency services (1122): Rs1.4bn