Around Rs574bn Sindh’s deficit budget today

Around Rs574bn Sindh’s deficit budget today By: YASIR BABBAR Sindh government would present tax-free but deficit budget of 2012-13, with a total outlay of around Rs.574 billion, here on Monday in Sindh Assembly. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the major coalition partner of the PPP-led government, had submitted its budget proposals during the cabinet meeting held at chief minister house a few days back. As per the proposal, the provincial budget 2012-13 should be surplus with a total outlay of Rs484 billion, while Rs160 billion has been proposed for Annual Development Program (ADP). Informed sources in Sindh Finance department said Sindh government’s total income for 2012-13 has been estimated at around Rs. 566 billion, while the total outlay of the budget would be Rs.574 billion. Thus, the Rs7 billion deficit budget would be presented in Sindh Assembly by Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. Before the Sindh Assembly session, the provincial cabinet’s meeting would be held to approve the budget document, they said. Sources said that the ministers belonging to MQM might register their protest over non-acceptance of their proposals. According to the breakup of total income, the provincial government would receive around Rs380 billion from federal government under various heads. Sindh government would collect more than 105 billion from its own sources, all kind of provincial taxes and sales tax on services. The minister in his speech would also announce new jobs in various departments. Though, Finance department has allocated funds for around 22,000 jobs but Shah can announce around 35,000 to 40,000 jobs, sources hinted. Murad Ali Shah may also announce loans through Sindh Bank, around 15,000 tractors for farmers, around 50,000 plots for poor people in each district of the province, sources claimed. Sindh government has already finalised ADP 2012-13 with an allocation of Rs 221 billion, they said. According to the summary of ADP 2012-13, a copy of which has been obtained by Business Recorder, the Sindh government has allocated Rs 5,452 million for agriculture sector, including Rs 453.794 million for agriculture research, Rs 580.552 million for agriculture extension, Rs 130.237 million for agriculture marketing, Rs 3,198.927 million for agriculture mechanization and Rs 1,088.927 million for agriculture water management. Around Rs 285 million has been allocated for food, Rs 50 million for supply and prices department, Rs 2,487.968 million for animal husbandry (livestock) and Rs 1,065.032 million for fisheries, Rs 191.448 million for coastal development authority, Rs 610.694 million for forests, Rs 1,065.032 million for wildlife, Rs 1,369 for industries, Rs 1,600 million for investment development and Rs 490 million for mines and mineral development. In water and drainage sector, Sindh government has allocated Rs 101.838 million for survey and investigation, Rs 4,059 million for drainage/reclaim and tube wells, Rs 3556.008 million for open canals and Rs 283.066 million for small dams projects, Rs 3 billion for the Physical Planning and Housing/Building sector including Rs 627.04 million for prison department, Rs 214.555 million for police department, Rs 528.52 million for judicial department, Rs 70 million for prosecution department, Rs 133.925 million for buildings department, Rs 247.016 million for SGA&C department, Rs 33.138 million for excise and taxation department, Rs 30.604 million for provincial ombudsman, Rs 34.536 million for finance department, Rs 107.025 million for Governor’s Secretariat, Rs 5 million for Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Rs 900 million for Sindh Assembly and Rs 50.641 million for Board of Revenue. Local government department has been allocated Rs 700 million, PHE department Rs 3,000 million, Katchi Abadies department Rs 121 million, transport department allocated Rs 500 million and communication (works and services) department has bee allocated Rs 15,500 million, the document added. The Sindh government has allocated Rs12 billion for education sector in FY 2012-13, up by 45 percent as compared to allocation of the outgoing fiscal year. About Rs 768.621 million has been earmarked for elementary education, Rs 139.96 million for teacher education, Rs 1,313.622 million for Sindh Education Foundation (SEF), Rs 2,524.708 million for secondary education, Rs 4,117.430 million for college education, Rs 1,589.989 million for miscellaneous and Rs 1,545.664 million for Higher education. The government has allocated Rs 550 million for Special education, Rs 700 million for Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Authority (STEVTA), Rs 11 billion for health sector including Rs 2,701 million for teaching hospitals, Rs 5,567.711 million for other hospitals, Rs 662.792 million for medical education, Rs 124.954 million for PHC administration/trainings, Rs 40 million for nutrition, Rs 1,814.085 million for preventive programme and Rs 80.286 million for foreign-funded projects. The ADP further included Rs 450 million for sports, Rs 358 million for youth affairs, Rs 800 million for culture, Rs 263 million for tourism, Rs 156 million for manpower and employment, Rs 362 million for information and archives, Rs 350 million for Auqaf, Zakat and religious affairs, Rs 41 million for cooperative, Rs 720 million for minorities affairs, Rs 5,880 million for statistical and economic research, Rs 213 million for social welfare, Rs 4,860.53 million for science and information technology, Rs 435 million for women’s development, Rs 274 million for environment, Rs 11,880 million for priority programs, Rs 10,600 million for special packages, Rs 433 million for rural development, Rs 585 million for antiquities and Rs 137 million for human rights. Provincial government has allocated Rs 362 million for the development schemes of population welfare, Rs 8,561.420 million for special initiatives, Rs 61.060 million for water and drainage, Rs 5,564.213 million for PP&H, Rs 1652.796 million for local government, Rs 1,500 million for home, Rs 1,500 million for SGA&CD, Rs 5 million for PHE, Rs 500 million for BoR, Rs 406.417 million for Planning and Development and Rs 1,715 million allocated in the head of others (local government). As per the document, the government has allocated Rs 4,210.748 million for transport and communication, Rs 2,785.034 million for local government, Rs 1,352.714 million for works and services, Rs 100 million for home, Rs 395 million for education, Rs 10 million for culture, Rs 130.687 million for tourism, Rs 98.736 million for environment (PHED), Rs 4,001.962 million for health, Rs 60 million for sports, Rs 1,000 million for SGA&CD, Rs 5 million for livestock and fisheries, Rs 5 million for water and drainage, Rs 2047 million for PP&H, Rs 110 million for tourism, Rs 754.422 million for devolved projects and Rs 6,700 million for P&D. The Sindh government has also allocated Rs 20 billion under the head of district programme, which is also part of total provincial development outlay, sources said. Sindh government has also added Rs37 billion of foreign-funded projects (loans/grants) in the ADP 2012-13, including additional financing for the Sindh on-farm-water management project, (Rs 1,500 million), Japanese assisted rural road construction project phase-II (Rs 2,000 million), construction of 61-kilometre-long Nawabshah-Sanghar road project (Rs 1,200 million), Sindh coastal community development project (Rs 1,290 million), Sindh cities improvement programme (Rs 2,600 million), flood emergency reconstruction project (Rs 17,187 million), Municipal service delivery programme (Rs 1,000 million), Sindh water sector improvement project (Rs 5,400 million), procurement of machinery for rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure ( Rs 817 million), Sindh Skill development project (Rs 707 million), Sindh Basic Education programme (Rs 3,400 million) and Mehran highway road project (Rs 573 million).