ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):The government has allocated an amount of Rs 133.5 billion for various Special Programmes, including ERRA, FATA 10 years Plan, Security Enhancement, and PM’s Youth Initiatives under the Public Sector Development Programmed 2018-19.
According to the budgetary document released here Friday, an amount of Rs 8.5 billion has been set aside for Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) while Rs 10 billion for FATA 10 Years Plan (Federal Contribution).
Similarly, Prime Minister’s Global SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Achievement Programme will receive Rs 5 billion and Rs 5 billion each has been earmarked for Special Provision for Completion of CPEC Projects and Gas Infrastructure Development Cess.
Likewise, allocation of Rs 45 billion has been proposed for Relief and Rehabilitation of IDPs (internally displaced persons) and Rs 10 billion for Security Enhancement project.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):For revival of Pakistan’s film industry,which used to be third largest in the world in 1960s, the government announced a fiscal package, said Minister for Finance,Revenue and Economic Affairs Division Miftah Ismail in his budget speech on Friday.
The minister said that the package would provide an enabling environment for film industry to flourish,and to project Pakistani culture.
The main features of the incentive package include reduction in custom duty to 3 per cent on the import of films and drama production equipment and sales tax to 5 per cent.
He said that the package also envisaged establishment of revolving fund for promoting film and drama industry and to provide financial support to deserving artists.
It also offers 50 percent rebate will be given to companies investing in film projects for five years.
He said that 50 per cent tax rebate will be given on the income derived by foreign film makers from films made in Pakistan.
He said that further details of the film-policy would be presence by Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb.

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (APP):The government has allocated Rs. 251.207 for various new and on-going schemes of the Narcotic Control Division under Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2018-19.
According to the PSDP document, Rs 169.460 million have been earmarked for five ongoing schemes while Rs 81.747
have been allocated for four new schemes.
For on-going schemes, Rs 30.224 million have been allocated for acquisition of land for ANF police station in Pasni,
Rs 36 million had been embarked for Bajaur Area Development project.
As per document, Rs 44.815 million have been allocated for construction of ANF police Station in Sust, while
Rs 22.421 million, Rs 36 million have been allocated for construction of single Men Barrack at Korangi Town
Karachi and Mohmand Area Development project respectively.
For new schemes, Rs 10.721 million, Rs 20.080 million , Rs 20 million and Rs 30.955 million have been allocated
for acquisition of land for ANF setup at Jiwani and Gwadar, acquisition of land for construction of ANF RD Punjab
complex, construction of Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre Islamabad and Khyber Development
project (Phase-II) respectively in the PSDP document.

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (APP):The government has proposed an allocation of Rs 943.175 million, under the Public Sector Development Programme
(PSDP 2018-19), to execute four ongoing and five new (unapproved) projects to accelerate oil and gas exploration
activities in potential areas across the country.
According to the PSDP, Rs 416.535 million have been earmarked for an ongoing project to acquire four drilling
rigs with accessories for the Geological Survey of Pakistan.
An amount of Rs 13.736 million have been kept for appraisal of newly discovered coal resources of Badin Coal
Field and its adjoining areas of Southern Sindh, while Rs 14.609 million have been reserved for exploration and
evaluation of metallic minerals in Uthal and Bela areas, district Lasbella, Balochistan.
Whereas, for a similar ongoing project, Rs 18.295 would be spent on exploration and evaluation for coal in
Nosham and Bahlol areas, Balochistan.
For the five new proposed schemes, the government would utilize funds amounting to Rs 100 million for
expansion and up-gradation of Pakistan Petroleum Corehouse (PETCORE) for its sustainable operations to
facilitate oil and gas exploration research in Pakistan.
While, an amount of Rs 10 million have been allocated for geological mapping of 50 Toposheets out of
354 Unmapped Toposheets of Outcrop areas of Balochistan province.
Funds amounting to Rs 220 million would be spent for strengthening and up-gradation of Karachi Laboratories
Complex (KLC) at HDIP Operations Office, Karachi.
While, the government has planned to spend Rs 50 million for up-gradation of Hydrocarbon Development
Institute of Pakistan’s (HDIP) POL Testing Facilities at Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta and ISO
Certification of Petroleum Testing Laboratory at Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (APP):The federal government has allocated Rs29,876.617 million for executing new schemes and completing ongoing projects in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) during the financial year 2018-19 under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
According to Budgetary document, Rs150 million for executing new projects included Rs100 million for Establishment of Endowment Fund for Pakistan Red Crescent AJK; Rs50 million for Improvement and Metalling of 13 km Link Road, Konkan Panjoor Gali, district Muzaffarabad.
Meanwhile, the block allocations for Azad Jammu and Kashmir were Rs25,500 million. A sum of Rs29,726.617 million has also been allocated for completing the on going projects in AJK. Rs300 million for 48 mw Jagran Hydro Power Project, AJK; Rs500 million for AJK Legislative Assembly Complex; Rs100 million for Athmaqam-Keran road; Rs1,955.617 million for the construction of Rathoua Haryam Bridge across reservoir channel on Mirpur Islamgarh Road; Rs500 million for Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq Shaheed Medical college, Muzaffarabad; Rs471 million for Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Medical College, Mirpur; Rs100 million for Noseri Leswa Bypass Road; Rs300 million for water supply Sewerage Scheme Mirpur City and Hamlets.

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (APP):The government has allocated an amount of Rs30,734.498 million for completion of 20 on-going and 37 new projects in health sector under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP 2018-19).
According to the budgetary document released here on Friday, the ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination will get net total of Rs25,034.498 million out of total amount as Rs5,700 million provincial share in Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) will be deducted at source from provincial transfers.
For completion of 37 new projects, an amount of Rs18,295.510 million has been allocated while Rs 12,438.988 million has been allocated for 20 on-going health projects.
An amount of Rs7835 million has been allocated for EPI, Islamabad while Rs2,400 million has been allocated for Prime Minister National Health Program. The government has allocated an amount of Rs575.717 million for program of Family Planning and Primary Health Care AJK.
An amount of Rs324.003 million has been allocated for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Program AJK while Rs283.467 million has been allocated for establishment of a current GMP compliant sera process laboratory, Biological Production Division, National Institute of Health.
Similarly, an amount of Rs11,500 million has been allocated for special initiatives in health while Rs4000 million has been allocated for Prime Minister National Health Program Phase-II.
The government has allocated Rs1317.752 million for Prime Minister’s new hospitals, master planning, design medical equipment planning and construction, supervision services for construction of forty six 500, 25o and 100 beds hospitals across Pakistan.
An amount of Rs282.500 million has been allocated for program for family planning planning and primary health care FATA while an amount of Rs200 million has been allocated for national preventive health program.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):The government has allocated an amount of Rs. 1116.438 million for various new and ongoing schemes of Cabinet
Division under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19.
According to PSDP, the government allocated an amount of Rs 1000 million for establishment of 200 Bed Center
of Excellence for Obstetrics and Gynecology at Rawalpindi (Revised) of the Cabinet Division under the Public
Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the financial year 2018-19. While an amount of Rs. 7 million has been
allocated for the digitization of Archival Holdings of the National Archives of Pakistan.
In new schemes, the government allocated an amount of Rs 50.138 million for infrastructure development and
provision of security lights at newly purchased Eight Acres of Land at 6 Aviation Sauadron, Islamabad Heliport.
While an amount of Rs. 50 million have been allocated for technical study of Tourism Master Plan in Azad
Jammu Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Swat.

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (APP):Government has allocated Rs802 million for eight schemes of Climate Change Division for fiscal year 2018-19 in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) issued here on Friday.
The budgetary allocation included Rs36 million for two new schemes while Rs766.699 million are earmarked for six ongoing schemes of the division.
The new schemes included Climate Resilient Urban Human Settlement Units with the allocation of Rs20 million while the second project is Establishment of Pakistan WASH strategic planning & coordination Cell (Facilitating Achievement of SDG 6.1 and 6.2) with the funding of Rs16 million.
The major ongoing project are Green Pakistan programme-Revival of Forestry Resources in Pakistan with the reserved funds of Rs390 million followed by Green Pakistan Programme-Revival of Wildlife Resources in Pakistan allocating an amount of Rs229 million whereas Rs88.494 million are allocated for Construction of Boundary Wall of Zoo Cum Botanical Garden, Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Dr Miftah Ismail on Friday said that the government has proposed to enhance federal excise duty (FED) on locally produced cigarettes in respect of tier-1, tier-2 and tier-3 to Rs 3964, Rs 1770 and Rs 848 per thousand cigarettes
respectively.
In a federal budget speech 2018-19 at National Assembly, the minister said in order to provide
relief for cancer treatment in Pakistan, the government has exempted drugs from customs duties at import stage, however the sole exception was Tasigna on which customs duty at rate of five percent
is proposed to be withdrawn.
He said that it is also proposed that the rate of customs duty at rate of 11 percent on corrective eyesight glasses be reduced to three percent.
The minister said that the import of machinery and equipment is allowed duty free to charitable institutions and hospital, under the provision of Pakistan Customs Tariff code 9917. However there is
no mechanism for their disposal.
He added to redress this issue, it is being proposed that if such goods are disposed of within a period of seven years of their import, the payment of duty and taxes leviable thereon shall be on
payment of duty and taxes assessed at time of disposal whereas if disposal is after seven years no taxes would be payable.
Miftah Ismail said that to tackle the problem of physical and mental stunting in children a food fortification program in collaboration with international partners is underway. Under this program, flour mills will mix critical micronutrients like folic acid, vitamin B12, Zinc etc in the flour being produced for
sale to general public.
However to ensure that the appropriate quantities of such micronutrients are being added to the flour, it is being proposed that three percent customs duty on import of the micro feeder equipment
be withdrawn.