NEC for priority allocations for merged districts

ISLAMABAD: The National Economic Council (NEC) on Monday here directed that the development targets for all new merged and backward districts should be met on priority basis with appropriate financial allocations in the next budget.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar chaired the meeting of the council.
Federal ministers Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Sami Saeed and Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Caretaker Chief Ministers Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar, Justice (retd) Syed Arshad Hussain Shah and Sardar Ali Mardan Domki and high level officials attended the meeting, the official news agency reported.
The meeting was told that in the next financial year, instead of including provincial projects in the national development budget, only projects of newly merged border districts of erstwhile Fata and 20 backward districts would be included.
The proper financial allocations for these areas would ensure provision of jobs to the people and economic progress.
The prime minister directed that the standard for compiling list of backward districts should be reviewed so that inclusion of all such areas should be ensured.
Speaking during the meeting, the prime minister said tax money belonged to the people and the focus of all development projects should be the welfare and well-being of the people.
He urged that work on the national level development projects should be expedited and their completion in the stipulated time should be ensured.
He expressed the satisfaction that the caretaker government achieved substantial success in securing development targets in its short tenure.
The prime minister said despite immense economic challenges, national progress could only be ensured by completing public welfare projects on priority basis.
The National Economic Council comprising the federation and provinces was the highest constitutional body for economic decision making, he said, adding that the federal government gave vital importance to consultation with provinces while taking decisions about the development projects.
In the development budget, the council decided that special importance should be given to the progress of basic communication infrastructure, hydel projects, water reservoirs, industry, information technology and the development of human resources — particularly youth.
The overall economic situation of the country was reviewed in detail during the meeting.
While reviewing the six-point agenda of the meeting, priorities and guiding principles for the national development budget 2024-25 were presented for approval.
The meeting was told that according to the new guiding principles, the development projects of national importance which were 80 percent complete would get priority allocation in the budget.
While for new projects of national significance, only 10 percent amount would be allocated.
The NEC directed that while including new projects in the development budget, it should be determined that only projects of solid developmental value were chosen.
The meeting also reviewed the pace of the current development projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (2023-24).
In this regard, the recommendations of the apex committee of the Special Investment Facilitation Council were presented.
While approving the recommendations of the apex committee, the prime minister directed that Youth Development Programme, especially the Skill Development Programme and Youth Endowment Scholarship for Talented Students, should be continued robustly in the federal development budget and funding for them should be ensured.
The council was informed about the priorities of the 13th five-year development programme. The meeting was told that under the five-year programme, the optimum focus would be on development of different areas of the country, environment, climate change, tourism, agriculture, industry, energy, governance, foreign investment, incentives to small and medium enterprises, improvement in governance and steps for use of technology in government affairs and service delivery.
While giving assent for renewed focus on these areas, the council directed that the draft for the five-year programme should be finalised and presented for approval.
The reports of Public Investment Management Assessment and Climate Investment Management prepared in collaboration with international financial institution were presented.
The meeting was also informed about the recommendations prepared in line with these reports.
The council also directed that the approved strategy for protection against the adverse effects of climate change and for tackling natural disasters should be improved according to new international standards.
The NEC also reviewed the growth targets for the current financial year. The meeting was apprised that in the first quarter the rate of economic growth was 2.1 percent against the yearly target of 3.5 percent.
It was told that due to the solid steps of the caretaker government for economic revival, the national economy was improving and trade deficit was reduced.
During the current financial year, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected more tax than its target in the first six months of the financial year from July to December 2023. The value of rupee stabilised because of the steps taken against the illegal business of foreign currency and anti-smuggling. The remittances from overseas Pakistanis also increased. While expressing satisfaction at the steps taken for achieving economic targets, it was reaffirmed that measures for economic growth should be intensified.
The report of the sub-committee of the National Economic Council on Sustainable Development Goals was presented. It was stressed that climate finance should be focused as Pakistan was among those countries which were most affected by climate change.
The council also directed that a multiple indicator cluster survey should be held in collaboration with the provinces for a true depiction of the projects of public welfare and economic progress in the country.