ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):In a major relief to the salaried class the government on Friday announced an adhoc relief of 10 per cent in the salaries and pensions of civil and military employees in the federal budget 2018-19.
The newly inducted Federal Finance Minister Miftah Ismail in his budget speech at the Parliament House said the increase in salaries would be apart from the major relief the salaried class would get due to drastic slash in the Income Tax rates, announced earlier by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
Miftah Ismail said under the income tax relief package for individuals there would be no tax on income of up to Rs 1.2 million annually, 5% on income exceeding Rs 1.2 million to Rs 2.4 million, Rs 60,000 plus 10% on income from Rs 2.4 to Rs 4.8 million, Rs 180,000 plus 15% on income exceeding Rs 4.8 million.
Together with the tax cut, the overall relief for the salaried class would be much higher than the 10% adhoc relief announced in the federal budget.
Ismail said the salaried persons mostly belong to the middle class and would be the major beneficiary of the relief measures that would have a financial impact of Rs 69 billion on the national exchequer.
He said Rs 5 billion had been allocated for Senior Officers Performance Allowance, details of which would be announced later, while Rs 12 billion were earmarked for advances for the purchase and construction of houses, vehicles, etc for government officials.
The House Rent ceiling had been increased by 50%, besides an increase of 50% in the house rent allowance, he said.
Ismail said keeping in view the difficulties of low-paid pensioners, the minimum pension had been increased to Rs 10,000 from the present Rs 6,000. He also announced increase in minimum pension to Rs 15,000 for the pensioners over the age of 75, and raise in family pension from Rs 4,500 to Rs 7,500.
The Overtime Allowance of staff drivers and dispatch riders had been increased from Rs 40 to Rs 80 per hour, he said.

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (APP):The government has allocated Rs2660 million for Science and Technological Research Division for the fiscal year 2017-18 in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) issued here on Friday.
The budgetary allocation included Rs867.942 million for 11 new schemes while Rs1792.058 million for 19 ongoing schemes of S&TR Division, it added.
The highest allocated on-going project is National University of Technology (NUTECH) amounting Rs250 million to establish a quality varsity focusing on quality technology higher education in the country.
While two other projects with the funding of Rs200 million each are Completive Research Programme and Monitoring of Sea Level Rise, Sea Water Intrusion and Land Subsidence in Indus Deltaic Creek System with Special Reference to Sindh Coastal Cities floodline.
An amount of Rs100 million is also reserved for another major projects namely establishment of Model Science School Ghaziwal.
An amount of Rs1792.058 million has reserved for 11 on-going schemes in the budgetary document, it added.
The major ongoing schemes included establishment of PSTC for Precision Mechanics and Instrument Technology at Gwadar PCSIR earmarking an amount of Rs664.309 million.
For Science Talent Farming Scheme (STFC) for Young Students-Phase-I (Component-I) an amount of Rs412.254 million has reserved followed by Certification Incentive Programme for SMEs under PQI Initiative 2005 allocating an amount of Rs200 million.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):The federal government has allocated Rs 3552.584 million for Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Division under the Public Service Development Programme (PSDP) in the fiscal year 2018-19.
According to a budgetary document released here on Friday, Rs 2247.584 million has been earmarked for ongoing schemes and for 1305 million new schemes.
The ongoing schemes include strengthening of sports infrastructure at a cost of Rs 848.450 million; construction of National Sports City, Narowal at a cost of Rs 467.010 million; replacement of Synthetic Hockey Turfs in seven cities viz. Islamabad, Faisalabad, Wah Cantt, Peshawar, Quetta and Abbottabad at a cost of Rs 423.163 million; and laying of synthetic hockey turfs at Swat and Gilgit at a cost of Rs 132.593 million and Rs 102.183 million, respectively.
The new schemes include construction of 100 stadiums (50:50 sharing with provinces) at a cost of Rs 1000 million and laying of synthetic hockey turf at Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad costing Rs 150.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):Following are the highlights of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19:
— Total outlay of the PSDP for the fiscal year 2018-19 is Rs2.043 trillion
— The federal PSDP is Rs1,030 billion whereas the provincial PSDP is Rs1013 billion
— Rs4,677.487 million allocated for Aviation Division
— Rs125 million allocated for Board of Investment
— Cabinet Division will receive Rs1,116.438 million
— Capital Administration and Development Division will get Rs15,236.924 million
— Rs 802.699 million allocated for Climate Change Division
— Rs1500 million allocated for Commerce Division
— Rs14480 million earmarked for Communication Division (other than NHA)
— Defence Division will get Rs 640.644 million while Defence Production Division to get Rs 2810 million
— Rs70 million set aside for Economic Affairs Division
— Rs 175.4 million earmarked for Establishment Division
— Rs 4336.5 million allocated for Federal Education and Professional Training Division
— Finance Division will get Rs18,151.4 million
— Rs199 million allocated for Foreign Affairs Division
— Rs 46,679 million allocated for Higher Education Commission
— Rs 5,433.1 million earmarked for Housing and Works Division
— Rs 300 million earmarked for Human Rights Division
— Rs 1775.2 million set aside for Industries and Production Division
— Information and Broadcasting Division will get Rs1,644 million
— Information Technology and Telecom Division will receive Rs3,046.3 million
— Inter Provincial Coordination Division will get Rs 3552.5 million
— Rs 24,207.8 million allocated for Interior Division
— Rs 51,205.8 million earmarked for Kashmir Affairs and Giligt-Baltistan Affairs Division
— Rs1,025 million earmarked for Law and Justice Division
— Rs 10,118 million set aside for Maritime Affairs Division
— Rs 251 million allocated for Narcotics Control Division
— Rs1808 million set aside for National Food Security and Research Division
— Rs 25,034.4 million allocated for National Health Services Regulation and Coordination Division
— National History and Literary Heritage Division will get Rs 550.5 million
— Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission to get Rs 30,424.5 million
— Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority will receive Rs 300 million
— Petroleum Division will get Rs 943 million
— Rs 27,590 million allocated for Planning Development and Reform Division
— Rs 370 million allocated for Postal Services Division
— Rs 40,000 million earmarked for Railways Division
— Rs 36 million set aside for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Division
— Rs 2,558.9 million allocated for Revenue Division
— Rs 2,660 million earmarked for Science and Technological Division
— Rs 28,255.5 million set aside for States and Frontiers Regions Division
— Rs 200 million allocated for Statistics Division
— Rs 4,700 million set aside for SUPARCO
— Textile Industry Division to get Rs 280 million
— Water Resource Division will receive Rs79,500 million
— Government also allocated Rs 237,725 million for various corporations including Rs201,600 million for National Highways
Authority, Rs36125 million for NTDC/PEPCO
— Rs 5000 million has been earmarked for Prime Minister’s Global SDGs achievement programme
— Rs 5000 million allocated for Special Provision for Completion of CPEC Projects
— Rs10,000 million earmarked for FATA 10 Years Plan (Federal Contribution)
— Rs 8,500 million set aside for ERRA
— Rs100,000 million allocated for Block Allocation for New Projects by next government
— Rs 45,000 million allocated for Relief and Rehabilitation of IDPs
— Rs 45,000 earmarked for Security Enhancement
— Rs10,000 million allocated for Prime Minister’s Youth Initiative
— Rs 5000 million set aside for Gas Infrastructure Development Cess.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):The government has allocated Rs 1644.055 million for Information and Broadcasting Division in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19. for 19 ongoing and 13 new projects.
According to the budgetary document released on Friday, the government has specified Rs 1077.886 million for the
new project and Rs 556 million for ongoing projects of Information and Broadcasting Division.
Among the ongoing projects, an allocation of Rs 200 million has been done for modernization of camera and
production equipment of Pakistan Television Corporation, while Rs 46 million have been earmarked for Channel
ranking and data centre.
For establishment of National Film Academy, Rs 47 million have been allocated. Among the new schemes, Rs 331
million have been earmarked for PTV Parliamentarian Channel, while Rs 112 and Rs 111 million have been allocated
for Rebroadcast station at Muslim Bagh and Musakhail in Balochistan.Similarly Rs 113 million have been kept for
rebroadcast station at Sherani.

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (APP):The federal government has allocated Rs18151.459 million for three ongoing and new schemes of Revenue Division under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the upcoming fiscal year 2018-19.
According to budgetary document, Rs14696.779 million have been allocated for ongoing schemes of the division whereas Rs3454.680 million for new schemes of the division.
Among the ongoing schemes, the government earmarked Rs2000 million for provision for CPEC related security project, Rs1700 million for financial inclusion and infrastructure project and Rs1500 for establishment for establishment of Combined Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) for Industrial areas of Karachi.
The government also earmarked Rs1000 million for Gwadar Development Authority, Rs862 for Greater Karachi Sewerage Plant (S-III) (Karachi) 50:50 cost sharing basis and Rs793.053 million for construction of Sibbi Rakhni Road via Malwand (Tall-Kohlu) Section KM 24-164 (Kohlu Package) District Subbi.
The government allocated Rs562.057 million for Cadet College Kharan, Rs547.840 million for construction of Black Top Road from Lehri to Sangsilla Road Phase-I (Dera Bugti Package) District Dera bbugti, Rs235.356 million for construction of Eastern and Expansion of Southern Sewerage Treatment Plant (Hyderabad package).
An amount of Rs1200 has been earmarked for necessary facilities of fresh water treatment , water supply distribution Gwadar (CPEC) whereas an amount of Rs600 million has been allocated for Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (K-IV) Karachi on 50:50 Sharing basis.
Among the new schemes, an amount of Rs350 million has been allocated for modernization and up-gradation of Pakistan Mint Lahore (Phase-II), Rs345 million for Nawa Kill Flyover Quetta, Rs200 million for widening of road from District Duki to Hosary and Construction of two bridges in Balochistan and Rs100 million for improvement and widening of road from N-50 in Zer Khaki to Sherani HQ67 Km.
The government also allocated Rs100 million for improvement and widening of Spera Ragha Road from Khanozai Cross to Lorallai Kila Saifullah road and Rs100 million fro GDA Package and another 100 million for construction of Northern Bypass including fencing 77.5 km (CPEC).

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):The government has set aside Rs 1.775 billion for various ongoing and new schemes of the Industries and Production Division under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19.
The amount includes Rs 1.424 billion for nine ongoing schemes and Rs 350 million for five new projects.
Under the PSDP 2018-19, Business Skill Development Center for Women at Various Locations will receive Rs 140.32 million and Development Marble and Granite Sector all over Pakistan get Rs 350 million.
Similarly, Rs 19.94 million has been set aside for Fruit Dehydration Unit Swat and Rs 250 million for Fruits, Vegetables and Condiments Processing Center, District Nausheroferoze, Sindh.
Among new schemes, Rs 400 million has been allocated for National Business Development Programme for SMEs and Rs 200 million for Product Development Center for Composites Based Sports Goods, Sialkot. An amount of Rs 125 million has been eramarked for a new scheme of Board of Investment.