QUETTA, Pakistan: The Balochistan government has planned to introduce tax and duty amnesty scheme for national and foreign investors to attract massive investment in port town of Gwadar.
Provincial Minister for Planning and Development, Dr. Hamid Khan Achakzai said this while addressing a press conference along with Additional Chief Secretary (Planning and Development), Nasib Ullah Bazai, here on Tuesday.
He said that work on several uplift projects pertaining to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Balochistan was underway. “Work on Zhob-Mughal Kot N-50 and Qila Saifullah Road N-70, Gwadar-Hoshab and Hoshab-Sorab N-85 was underway,” he said, adding that these road projects would be completed before and by 2018, respectively.
Hamid Khan Achakzai said that work had been started on Rs 14.06 billion project of East Bay Express from Gwadar to Karachi along coast adding that Rs 4.70 billion were allocated in PSDP 2015-16.
He said that a sum of Rs 0.138 billion were allocated for road projects including Gwadar-Karachi, Gwadar-Basima and Basima-Jacobabad-Khuzdar, adding that Rs 1.01 billion were being released in this regard.
Balochistan government had achieved 95 percent target in implementation of 2250 uplift schemes of Provincial Public Sector Development Program 2015-16 and 140 development projects of Federal PSDP 2015-16 and said that departmental action would be taken against officials if PSDP funds were lapsed, he added.
Hamid Khan Achakzai said that Rs 54.5 billion Provincial PSDP 2015-16 had 2250 schemes including 940 ongoing and 1310 new ones. He said that Rs 19.5 billion were allocated for ongoing schemes and Rs 31.57 billion for new projects.
“About 95 percent funds for ongoing schemes had been released within seven months,” he said, adding that 97 percent PC-1 of new uplift schemes had been approved and 95 percent of funds allocated for them have been authorized,” he said.
Hamid Khan Achakzai said that departmental action would be taken against official if funds of PSDP were lapsed. He said that Rs 44 billion Federal PSDP for Balochistan had 140 development schemes, adding that 102 Federal PSDP schemes were being executed by the federal agencies and 38 by provincial departments.
“About 60 percent of funds earmarked for Federal PSDP schemes for Balochistan have been authorized and remaining 40 percent would be authorized soon,” he said.
The Additional Chief Secretary said that 98 percent progress in implementation of Federal PSDP projects had been achieved. He said that Rs 440 million was allocated for 88 schemes of Millennium Development Goal.
“Around 87 PC-1 of Millennium Development Goal schemes were made and 50 progresses in this regard has been obtained,” he said.
The Additional Chief Secretary said that multi donors had increased financial assistance for foreign funded projects of Balochistan from US$ 70 to 90 million which would be part of upcoming provincial budget.
He said that with the cooperation of World Bank and Asian Bank, several water projects worth billions of rupees had been completed and added that under Prime Minister Package for Quetta, Rs 05 billion were allocated which would be utilized for execution of projects of flyovers, bypasses and underpasses in the provincial capital.
He said that requirement of water for Quetta city would be met with water supply from Pat Feeder Canal and water dams.
The Additional Chief Secretary said that Prime Minister National Health Insurance Program had been initiated in four districts of Balochistan on experimental basis, adding that Rs 250,000 and Rs 50,000 would be born by the federal and provincial governments, respectively, in connection with expenses on medical treatment of a poor patient.
He said that missing facilities were being provided to 900 state-run schools. “Three new medical colleges, as well as three new universities, seven cadet colleges and five residential colleges were being constructed while 800 primary schools have been upgraded to middle and 400 middle schools to high schools,” he said.
He said that 486 small dams had been constructed with 50 balances and a project of 100 dams was part of PSPD-2015-16. New Provincial Budget of Balochistan would have 5000 check dams and 600 live Karez in 32 districts of the province, he added.
Source: APP
