Govt has set aside Rs87 billion for CPEC from development budget: Asad

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - Minister for Planning Asad Umar on Tuesday said that the government has set aside Rs87 billion for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) from the development budget.

Addressing a press conference, Asad Umar talked about the allocation of the budget the PTI-led government has allocated for different projects for the fiscal year 2021-2022. He said that said that Rs42 billion have been kept for the western route.

The minister mentioned that the government has to increase investment in health, education, and the environment, adding that all regions of the country should have equal opportunities for development. He said that the country's production sector will have to move forward but for this purpose, a lot of funds are needed, adding that the government has limited funds.

"The national development budget for the next financial year has been set at Rs2102 billion, which is 36.4% higher than the current financial year." The federal development budget will be Rs 900billion, he said, adding that the government will give priority to water projects in the next financial year as well.

"Development budgets for energy, water, social development and science and technology are being increased, while major road projects, including the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, will be made in the next financial year,  Umar said.

Providing further details, the minister said that the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway project is worth Rs200 billion and added that other projects, worth Rs530 billion, will be approved by the public-private authority.

PPP not built inch of motorway in Sindh

Responding to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah's comments, who said that the Centre has "ignored Sindh in the upcoming budget," Umar said that while the Sindh government has been hurling allegations at the Centre for not allocating sufficient budget to it, projects in Sindh have still not completed for which the funds were already given.

"The PPP has not built an inch of the motorway in Sindh, while projects worth Rs90 billion are already underway in the province," said the planning minister, adding that Sindh is getting its full share.

"Meanwhile, water projects worth Rs25 billion are also underway in Sindh," Umar said.