Govt allocating additional resources for socio-economic uplift: Khusro Bakhtyar.

Islamabad -- Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar has said that despite budget constraints, the incumbent government is allocating additional resources for socio-economic uplift of deprived areas through regional equalization programme.

He stated that focus is being paid on enhancing productivity by investing more in knowledge economy, education, water resources and correcting transmission lags.

The Federal Minister was talking to visiting IMF Mission Chief led by Mr. Ernesto Ramirez Rigo who along-with a delegation called on him at Islamabad on Friday. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, Secretary Planning Zafar Hasan and other senior officials of the Ministry were also present in the meeting.

Minister thanked IMF for reinforcing need for higher public sector development spending in providing stimulus to the economic growth. The Minister highlighted contours of development budget and mentioned that focus of the development outlay is early completion of on-going projects.

He said that...