KP to spend less on education, health than Punjab

 

ISLAMABAD: Comparison of provincial budgets for the next financial year 2014-15 shows that despite all its claims, the PTI’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has set aside a lower percentage for education and some other crucial sectors as compared to the Punjab government.
According to a study, a comparison of figures proposed for the budget of the next financial year for the KP and Punjab provincial governments show that PTI’s KP government plans to spend 21.49 percent of its total spending on education whereas the Punjab government will spend 27.3 percent.

Similarly, the KP government has fixed 6.17 percent for the health sector whereas Punjab has planned to spend 12.1 percent on this sector which directly benefits poor citizens.In the same way, KP will spend 0.39 percent on agriculture while Punjab will spend 1.49 percent.

KP has fixed 9.8 percent of total spending as its development budget whereas Punjab has fixed a massive 34.5 percent for the same. KP will spend 3.01 percent on transport and communication whereas Punjab plans to spend 11.09 percent on transport.

PTI has been claiming since long to improve its education sector by spending large shares of the budget but its figures are still on the lower side if compared to Punjab in this important sector.The party chief has been shown sitting on school desks monitoring the educational system in newspaper pictures but the same intention is not reflected in the budget figures. Apparently, the photo-shoots of the PTI chairman seem to give an impression as if he is working hard to improve different sectors of the provincial government but in fact, it is a classic case of ‘looking-busy-doing-nothing’.

Govt to spend $34 billion for key infrastructure development: Dar

 

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Tuesday said that the government would spend $34 billion in the next four years in various sectors of economy particularly for the expansion of motorways, power transmission lines and development of energy sector.
Talking to Minister of Finance of the Canadian Ontario Province, Charles Sousa, who called on him, Dar said that his government was determined to pursue very aggressive infrastructure development program in the country to help accelerate economic growth.

“The government is determined to pursue the policy of transparency, good governance and zero tolerance for corruption besides fulfilling its election manifesto by prioritising four ‘E sectors’ that include Education, Economy, Energy and Eradication of Extremism,” Dar said.

The finance minister also briefed Sousa about the introduction of 3G and 4G technologies in a transparent process, which would attract massive investments in the telecommunication sector. He expressed his determination to correct the existing energy mix in Pakistan as currently, 75 percent source of energy is furnace oil, due to which per unit cost has become exorbitantly high. Hence, the government intends to give priority to clean energy, he said.

Dar expressed voiced hope that the Canadian companies would invest in hydro projects as they have tremendous expertise in this field. He stated that the government has signed a 2,000MW nuclear power plant agreement with China and was negotiating for additional 3,000MW plant on BOT mechanism. While speaking about the security situation of the country, the Finance Minister underscored the need for giving dialogue a last chance.

The minister said that he will be presenting his second budget in June, 2014, adding although Pakistan’s GDP has been growing at three percent for the past few years, this year the growth is expected to be four percent. However, the target of 6% growth is likely to be achieved in the next few years owing to various economic reforms being undertaking by the present government, he added.

On the occasion, Sousa expressed the hope that by following robust and vigorous economic agenda, the government would certainly overcome economic difficulties, which would, in turn, pave the way for more foreign investments, both by expatriate Pakistanis and foreign companies. He stated that the better economic condition was the best way to give hope to the people, which would help reduce illiteracy and extremism.

Sousa appreciated Pakistan’s positive role in the post 9/11 war against terrorism and deplored criticism against Pakistan in this regard. He said that the Ontario government was pursuing a practical ‘energy mix’ policy adding the 50 percent source of energy was nuclear, followed by hydro and gas while the green energy constitutes only 6 percent.

Sousa stated that the Ontario government greatly admires Pakistani businessmen, entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, accountants and other professionals, who have been making valuable contributions to the Canadian economy and society.

He said that he will be presenting his second budget as the Finance Minister and to boost the economy and employment the government is proposing to spend C$11.3 billion more than the previous year.

Nawaz, Shahbaz spend little time at Pindi Metro launch

ISLAMABAD: The auspicious day of March 23 was specifically chosen for the groundbreaking of the grand Metro Bus Service (MBS) project by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to give a message that the present government wants to realize the dreams of the forefathers of the homeland.

However, guests at the impressive ceremony held near Flashman’s Hotel, the starting point of the MBS, including the sitting federal and provincial legislators, the defeated candidates of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), members of the civil society and the elite of town were disappointed as neither the prime minister nor the chief minister spared even a few moments to mingle with them as they had been doing in the past. Several bureaucrats also waited in vain for at least a handshake by the prime minister to mark their recognition.

“It was on such occasions that we used to get an opportunity for a brief chat with the prime minister otherwise it is now almost impossible to have a one-on-one meeting with him,” a ruling party MP remarked to The News. “This policy needs to be reviewed.”

Both Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif were in a hurry. They came, saw a few minutes’ documentary on the MBS, deliveredSharif were in a hurry. They came, saw a few minutes’ documentary on the MBS, delivered their written and extempore speeches and quickly left the scene. It was clear from their arrival and departure that they were hard-pressed because of time and had a lot to do elsewhere. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was no different. He came with them and quickly left with them. He has become much preoccupied because of talks with the Taliban.

The prime minister had a very busy schedule on Sunday and could not manage to squeeze time to mix with the guests at the MBS ceremony.At 8 in the morning, he chaired a meeting on the forthcoming talks of the government committee with the advisory council of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), then attended the Pakistan Day function at the Presidency, and subsequently presided over the MBS function before going from here straight to the airport to fly abroad to attend a conference.

Those who have been attending such functions of Nawaz Sharif for years during his previous governments say that he was always easily accessible on these occasions. The security concerns now weigh heavily on every mind and are apparently a major hurdle in his mingling.

However, both the brothers delivered passionate speeches, bemoaning the wastage of time and resources by their predecessors. The prime minister also said that some small countries, which were far behind Pakistan a few decades, have now gone far ahead of our country because of development and progress due to the sincerity of the leadership.

Conversely, he stated, successive rulers pushed Pakistan into deep abyss. Terrorism is one such menace created by them, he said. In the last 65 years, Pakistan has not progressed much due to their wrong approaches and strategies.

Workaholic Shahbaz Sharif has publicly announced to complete gigantic MBS project in just ten months, which would be a sort of rare record. Though the project is presently estimated to cost Rs44.5 billion, it would certainly involve considerably more public money. Development work amounting to approximately Rs5 billion would have to be executed every month to meet the deadline.

The prime minister lauded the capability and capacity of Shahbaz Sharif and said the chief minister has proved his talent by completing the Lahore MBS in a record period.The chief minister conceded that he had not correctly estimated the share of the Punjab and federal governments in funding the MSB. It was early 50-50 formula. But he said he has now come to know that his government will have to spend increased funds, and therefore, he requested the prime minister to hike the federal share to which Nawaz Sharif agreed.

The officials of the federal and Punjab government, who would be supervising the project, would be required to be extra vigilant and watchful, and may have to spend sleepless night as the chief minister is expected to spend much of his time in looking after each and every stage and detail of the project with his physical presence here. If he did not do so, it can’t be completed in ten months.

It will be a great challenge for Shahbaz Sharif, whose government, however, surpasses all other provincial administrations due to its good governance and efficiency. The officials who have worked with him in Punjab know his style of work and had been coming up to his expectations, but no such culture exists at the federal level since long. Many heads may roll for inefficiency as work on the MBS project proceeds.