Salient Features Of KP Budget 2024-24, Rs 120b ADP Announced

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2024) The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government on Friday announced Rs120 billion Annual Development Program (ADP) for financial year 2024-25.

As many as Rs 416.30 billion allocated under head of development expenditure including Rs120 billion for provincial ADP, Rs 24 billion for district ADP, Rs 36 billion for merged districts ADP and Rs 79.29billion for Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP).

The ADP and salient features of KP Budget 2024-25 announced by the Finance Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Aftab Alam include allocation of Rs12 billion for Ehsas Employment Program, Youth Program and Skills program under which 100,000 jobs would be created for people of the province.

Presenting Budget 2024-25 at floor of the House, the finance minister said that 5000 new houses would be constructed under Ehsas Own House Program for which Rs3 billion allocated.

Likewise, Rs10 billion earmarked for CRBC Lift Canal to irrigate three lakh acres lands, launching of Tank, Chodran and Daraban dams, allocation of Rs 26.90 billion for wheat procurement, Rs6.50 billion for construction of roads, Rs 2.50 billion for emergency works, construction of Dir and DI Khan motorway under public private partnership mode, construction of road to link DI Khan with Hakla motorway and 470 megawatt Lower Spat Gah project.

For education sector including high education, the KP Govt allocated Rs 362.68 billion for financial year 2024-25 which is 13 percent more compare to last fiscal year. Similarly, Rs 35.82 billion set aside for higher education that was 11 percent more than last financial year. Besides establishment of 30 degree colleges and over 350 schools in rent buildings, the government of KP also allocated Rs326.86 billion for elementary and secondary education.

Similarly, Rs 232.08 billion allocated for health sector in financial year 2024-25 which was 13 percent more compare to last fiscal year while air ambulance service and Peshawar Institute of Cardiology’s Satellite Centre for southern districts of KP announced.

Besides allocation of Rs10.97 billion for purchase of medicines, Rs 28 billion earmarked for Sehat Card Plus program for settled districts and 9 billion for merged tribal districts.

For law and order, the KP Government announced Rs140.62 billion for improvement of law and order which is 12 percent more compare to last fiscal year while PEHL 911 project was being launched in home department.

The budget of Social Welfare Department increased to Rs 8.11 billion which is six percent more while shelter homes program budget jacked up to Rs 600 million against 300 million in last fiscal year in merged tribal districts.

Similarly, Rs 7.53 billion for industries, Rs 9.66 billion for tourism with a project of field heritage school and tourism helpline 1422, Rs 28.93 billion for agriculture with olives project, Rs 31.54 billion for energy sector with establishment of KP distribution company and launching of Batakundi-Naran hydro project to produce 235 megawatt announced in budget 2024-25.

Besides allocation of Rs14.69 billion for livestock and Rs14.05 billion for forestry with launching of billion trees plus project, the KP Govt also announced 10 each percent increase in basic pay of its employees and pensioners besides increased minimum wages to Rs 36000 from existing Rs 32000.

The total receipts of the province is pitched at Rs1754 billion while total expenditure including current and development was Rs1654 as the present budget which was Rs 100 billion surplus.

The Minister said that Rs one million treatment for each family under universal health coverage provided for around 40 million people including 52 percent women population.

Besides establishment of Peshawar Institute of Cardiology, Orthopedic and Spine Surgery Blocs were established at Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar while Saidu College of Dentistry setup.

Likewise, over 2000 community schools and girls cadet college in Mardan were setup besides 10 universities.

To counter climate change and desertification, he said billion trees plus program was being launched during 2024-25.

Under NFC award, the province share is Rs262 billion against which Rs123 billion received while Rs139 billion annual deficit.

He said that under AGN Qazi formula approved from Council of Common Interest, about Rs1800 billion outstanding amount were pending and Rs 46.82 billion outstanding amount under head of oil and gas.

He said that a revenue mobalization plan was prepared under which a Rs 93.50 billion target was set and the government was concentrating to increase tax base.

APP/fam-mds/