LAHORE: The Punjab Government ended the Financial Year 2020-21 on a high note by registering an all-time high utilization of its ADP (Annual Development Programme) for the first time in its financial history, said Punjab Planning and Development Board (P&DB) Chairman Abdullah Khan Sumbal here Thursday. While talking to media, he said that Rs. 300.77 billion were utilized against a release of Rs. 308 billion funds for major sectors of Punjab,adding that 97 percent utilization of development funds in Punjab in financial year 2020-21 was highest in the last 10 years. In accordance with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, he said, the development funds of all the sectors were spent on new and on-going schemes in an optimum manner. “The highest percentage of utilization was mainly due to robust monitoring by the P&D Board and by the close supervision of all the administrative secretaries”, he observed. Abdullah Khan mentioned that Health sector was top priority for the government, primarily because of COVID-19.In the last financial year 2020-21, the P&D Chairman elaborated that a sum of Rs. 57.163 billion was allocated for the Health sector out of which Rs. 56 billion were spent on this sector, adding it constituted about 99 percent of its allocated development funds. More than 29.6 billion rupees were allocated for School Education and the utilization was more than Rs. 27.4 billion (93 percent). Also, Rs. 46 billion were allocated for Roads sector and a most impressive 100 percent of the allocated amount was utilized, it was learnt. Similarly, the utilization rates were 93 percent of the total funds allocated for Agriculture sector, 91 percent for Irrigation sector, 96 percent for Transport sector, 98 percent for Urban Development, Energy, Public Buildings & Environment, 93 percent for Social Welfare. The allocated funds for Water Supply & Community Development Programme were also utilized 100 percent.
