LAHORE: During the first quarter of the fiscal year 2023 (July-September), there was a significant surge in provincial development expenditure, marking a remarkable 38% increase compared to the corresponding period the previous year. The total spending under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) amounted to Rs245.5 billion, contrasting with Rs152 billion in Q1FY22. Notably, Punjab emerged as the leader, contributing Rs112 billion to this substantial rise.
This fiscal trend underscores distinct strategies across provinces. Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan demonstrated a proactive approach by increasing their development expenditure. Punjab witnessed a substantial rise from Rs72.298 billion to Rs112 billion, while Sindh reported an increase from Rs28.27 billion to Rs84.5 billion. Balochistan’s development spending also escalated significantly from Rs7.738 billion to Rs19.6 billion year-on-year.
In an unexpected turn, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) stood out with a decrease in development spending. The figures dropped from Rs43.9 billion in Q1FY22 to Rs29.7 billion in Q1FY23.
