Budget session tomorrow: Punjab set to propose highest-ever ADP for next fiscal.

LAHORE -- Punjab is set to propose the highest-ever Annual Development Programme (ADP) in its annual budget for the 2022-23 fiscal scheduled to be tabled in the provincial assembly on Monday (tomorrow).

'I cannot confirm you the exact size of the ADP right now as it will go public after an approval by the provincial cabinet ahead of the budget session. However, its total outlay will be in between Rs650 to Rs700 billion,' a senior official very much part of the budget-making process told Dawn on Saturday.

He said the allocations for the health, education and other vital sectors would be more than the 2021-22 fiscal.

According to another official source, the ADP included massive allocation for several ongoing and new development schemes in Lahore and other major and small cities/towns of the province.

Over Rs30 billion allocation was expected for the development schemes of the local government and community development department under the next year ADP.

He said the total outlay of the annual budget was likely to be between Rs2.5 to Rs3 trillion (Rs2500 to 3,000 billion).

The PTI-led Punjab government had, in its annual budget 2021-22, approved allocation of Rs560 billion for ADP that was later increased to Rs640 billion.

As of April 22, the Punjab crossed the figure of Rs400 billion utilisation of the total amount released under the ongoing ADP, expecting total utilisation of Rs550bn by June 30, the last day of the ongoing financial year. For May and June, the ADP's utilisation target was fixed at Rs83bn and 60bn, respectively. However, it is yet to be achieved.

Till March 31, the total utilisation reached Rs362bn of the Rs500bn released out of the revised Rs640bn allocation for the 2021-22 ADP. The Rs362bn included Rs9bn...